Elevator Music
by Anirtak Enigma
Summary: EPILOGUE POSTED A sporatic elevator encounter results in unexpected consequences.
1. Elevator Music

Disclaimer: Yeah right, I own Dark Angel 

Disclaimer: Yeah right, I own Dark Angel! Mandy, you and I can hold Michael Weatherly as our sex slave now! Don't' I wish! But yeah, blah blah woof woof (I don't own that either) It's all about Cameron and Eglee. 

A/N: Ok so I'm not really sure when this is set, maybe sometime after Designate this, but in my world Logan doesn't have that damn virus and he can walk unaided, cause also in my world the blood transfusion in BBWW worked and as a result Logan has his legs back forever cause he's just so cute standing. Max's thoughts are in italics, Logan s in bold. Thanks to Amanda and Autumn for editing this for me and telling me what you thought. Made my day! I GOT HAPPY DAMN IT! So….anyways, on with the story. 

A/N: wait, one more thing, everyone should really listen to Jessica Andrews Helplessly Hopelessly, Recklessly (thanks Mandy)while they're reading this story or after you get done……you should be able to figure out why after you hear the song. 

Elevator Music 

"Beep, beep, beep, beep…" Max frowned, what in the hell was that incessant noise? Drowsily max turned to her bed side clock and her eyes fell on the device causing the noise that had awaken her from the sleep she rarely ever got. Sometimes I wish I'd never gotten that thing she thought as she rolled her eyes. She looked again at her pager, Oh shit! she thought as she saw who the page was from. I can't be late for work again or one day Normal really will fire me! Max shot out of bed and quickly pulled on some clothes, Why didn't Cindy wake me up? I guess I'll find out when I get to work. Max grabbed her hat and walked out of her room to the kitchen where she poured herself some coffee, grabbed her bike and left for work as once again her pager went off, I'm coming already! 

The weather outside wasn't great either. The Sky was overcast with dark clouds over head. Rain looked as if it would be visiting them soon. Max hopped on her bike and started hightailing it to work trying to beat the rain. She sat back coasting down a hill and took a drink of her coffee. Oh, gross, max spit out the coffee, cold coffee. Max threw the rest of her cold coffee onto the ground as thunder sounded. Great, just great, I'm late for work, my coffee was cold, and now it's about to pour on me. 

Max quickened her pace even more, determined not to get wet. arriving at Jampony. She rode in stopping right in front of Normal's cubical, "I know I'm late, sorry. What do you got for me?" 

Max looked up and noticed that there was no one there, What on earth? Where is everyone? Max got off her bike propping it up against Normal's desk. She stopped and listened; I swear I just heard something. Max walked over to Normal's office where she had heard the noise come from. The door was closed but there was definitely something going on in there. She tried the door handle only to find it locked, Strange, Normal usually leaves this door open so we can check our schedules. Max shrugged and turned to leave but turned back to the door when she heard a woman scream from inside. Oh my god, what is going on in there!? Max, thinking someone was being hurt kicked down the door only to expose Sketchy and some blonde having sex on Normal's desk. 

The door being kicked down made Sketchy jump causing the blonde to fall off Sketchy and onto the floor. Sketchy looked where the door used to be and jumped when he saw Max. "Max, uh hey," Sketchy said as he grabbed something to cover himself. "Max, I can uh, expla…" 

Max put her hand up, "No Sketch, don't even try. I don't even want to know." 

Sketchy had now found Normal's clipboard and was covering himself with it, as he moved off the table his foot bumped the phone and a few seconds later Max's pager went off. Max rolled her eyes, I don't believe it, I think I'm gonna gouge my eyes out now. She shuddered at the memory; Sometimes I really hate having a photographic memory. 

Sketchy stood up and helped his blonde lady friend up off the ground comforting her, "Uh, Max, you're not, uh, you know gonna say anything are you? I mean, I could get fired." 

Max looked at Sketchy, "Sketch, let me break it down for you. I never get enough sleep and the one time I do someone's foot keeps pushing the button that dials my pager button while that someone was getting in on. And my pager going of then wakes me up and makes me think that I'm late for work. So I hurry my ass down here praying that I'm not going to be fired only to find that my coworker is getting busy on his bosses desk. So why don't you and Blondie down there get dressed and go fulfill each other's erotic fantasy's somewhere else. You're just lucky it wasn't Normal's phone you kept dialing." 

Sketchy looked at Max sheepishly, "But I mean your not like gonna tell or anything, right?" 

Max just rolled her eyes, grabbed her bike and walked out of Jampony. With Sketchy calling after her. I can't believe it, I just can't even fathom it. Why does this stuff always happen to me? Max got on her bike, the sky was still dark and thunder was rolling overhead. Great, and it looks like I'm gonna be stuck riding home in the rain. Max sighed, but I really don't want to go home. I'll be all by myself and I'll just replay everything that just happened and I so don't even want to remember…gross. I guess I could stop by Logan's. I mean he'll have coffee and maybe even I can talk him into breakfast, plus he lives closer than me anyways.. Max smiled and headed off to Foggle Towers. The thunder rolling in the sky made her quicken her pace, Please don't start raining, wait just a few more minutes, please. At that moment the rain began to pour out of the sky. Damn it. Max kept trudging through on her bike, going as fast as she could while a sheet of rain fell on her. As she turned a corner her front tire popped causing her to fly off her bike and into a puddle of mud. Why, just tell me why! What did I do to deserve this? Max got up covered in mud, Well at least Logan has a shower I can use. 

As Max picked up her bike she growled, Where on earth am I going to get a new tire? Max just shrugged it off, hoisted the bike on her shoulder, and made her way to Logan's as quickly as possible. She finally arrived and quickly ran into the lobby as a flash of lightening went off. Max went over to the elevators and pushed the button. As she was waiting she looked at herself in the elevator doors, she was drenched and covered in mud, Max just shrugged but then did a double take, Oh my god, my shirt! Max looked down at her white shirt, it had been soaked from the rain and now you could see through it. No, no, no, this cannot be happening. Why didn't I grab a jacket and where the hell is the elevator? Max, forgetting about her shirt, looked at the light above the elevator doors, it said the elevator was on the first floor but there was no elevator. Oh come on, there is no way the elevator can be broken too. This is so not my day. 

Deciding that the elevator was a lost cause she headed for the stair well and made her way up the fourteen stories to Logan's penthouse. It wasn't like it was physically strenuous but the fact that she was carrying her bike made it really awkward. The bike kept banging against the wall threatening to set Max off balance. Carefully she made her way her way up to the penthouse level. She reached the penthouse level and pushed the stairway door open, glad to get out of the cramped space. She walked to his door, planning on just picking the lock, but in her rush out of her apartment she had forgotten anything she could pick the lock with. Grumpily she set her bike down and knocked on the door. Come on Logan, hurry, I'm cold and I'm wet…oh man. Remembering that she was wearing a wet white shirt she crossed her arms to shield her chest. She banged on the door again and suddenly the door opened. 

"Hey." Logan said. What is Max doing here? 

Max forced a smile, "Hey." 

Logan looked her up and down, "What happened to you?" 

Max rolled her eyes, "Well can I come in and then tell you?" 

"Sure." Logan said stepping back from the doorway. 

Max sighed, "Where do you want me to start, before or after I walked in on Sketchy and some blonde going at it on Normal's desk?" 

Logan frowned, "Uh, you pick." 

Max took a deep breath, pacing back and forth she explained, "Well, my pager woke me up this morning, yes woke me up I was actually sleeping for once. So I run like hell to get ready thinking I'm late for work. I grab my coffee and my bike a make my way to work trying to beat the rain. So I'm coasting down a hill and I take a sip of my coffee, my cold coffee. I thought I was going to hurl, so I threw the rest out and then arrived to an empty Jampony. So I'm thinking what's up and I go to Normal office and hear a scream so I kick the door down, enter Sketchy and Blondie." At this Logan winced, "Yeah, but it gets better, turns out that in their frenzy someone's foot kept hitting the button on Normal's phone that dialed my pager." 

Logan chuckled, "You've got to be kidding me." 

Max growled frustratedly, "I wish." she continued, "So I leave Jampony, wanting to hurl all over again, and its about to come down in sheets, so since you live closer than me I decided to come see if you wanted to feed me. Sure enough as I'm riding here it starts raining. Correction, it starts pouring. Then as I'm riding around a corner my tire pops sending me hurtling into a mud puddle. I pick myself up and grab my bike now forced to walk the rest of the way, in the rain. Finally I get here and the elevator is broken, I waited for five minutes but the damn thing didn't come so I had to haul my bike and my wet, cold and muddy ass up fourteen stories. And so here I am." At this Max uncrossed her arms and ran her fingers through her hair. Giving Logan a free view. 

Oh my god, does she know she's wearing a white shirt? Avert you eyes Logan! 

Noticing Logan's eyes widen and suddenly drawn to her chest Max closed her eyes, crossed her arms again, and said in defeat, "Did I mention I was wearing a white shirt?" 

Logan turned three shades of red, "Uh, no, but now, you uh…yeah." Yep, I think she knows. 

Max blushed, "Yeah," Well this is uncomfortable. "Do you have a shirt I can borrow?" 

Logan cleared his throat, Well this is awkward, "Uh, yeah. Hold on." A few minute's later Logan emerged from the hallway with a black t-shirt, "Here, this should do." 

Max walked over to him and grabbed the shirt, "Yeah, thanks." She said as she went to change. I can't believe I just did that. It was so embarrassing. I mean sure he was totally checking me out…no, it's just Logan 

Logan walked into the kitchen, I need water, water is good. What was I thinking? She must think I'm a total dick. 

As Logan was drinking some water Max walked in, "Like I said, thanks. So you got any coffee?" 

Logan put the glass of water down, "Would you like it cold or hot?" 

Max gave him an evil stare, "Not funny." 

Logan laughed, "Sorry, so what do you mean the elevator is broken, I just used it let a half hour ago to get something out of my car." 

Max, her arms still crossed, "Well it must've broken after you used it cause I'm telling you it said it was on floor one but it wasn't there." 

"That's weird," Logan said. "It was fine…" 

"Key word being was. If you don't believe me go check for yourself." Max argued. 

Logan handed Max her coffee, "You know, I think I will." He stated as he walked to the door, "Be back in a second." 

Men, why do they always have to prove themselves right, or wrong in this case. Max thought as she sipped her coffee. 

A minute later Logan came back into the kitchen, "Follow me please." 

Max frowned, as Logan grabbed her hand pulling her to the elevator. "Logan, you can just tell me if it…" 

Logan put his hand over her mouth, "Hey, I'm proving my point, be quiet and close you eyes." 

Max looked at Logan, "What? No, if the elevator is working just tell me." 

Logan smiled as he pushed the elevator button, "Drum role please." `Ding' the button light went out and the doors opened to reveal the elevator. "See I told you it wasn't broken." Logan gloated. 

Max shrugged, "So you were right, it's allowed to happen occasionally. Plus that doesn't mean that it still works, just that the door can open." 

"Oh ye of little faith," Logan joked as he pulled her into the elevator, "I'll even let you do the honor of pushing the button." 

Max rolled her eyes, pushing the button for the lobby and leaning against the elevator wall, "This is so ridiculous. I would have believed you if you'd told me it was working." 

"But this is so much more fun Max." Logan replied. 

"Yeah," Max said sarcastically, "fun." 

The elevator descended as if nothing was wrong, there were six floors to go when all a sudden the elevator lurched to a stop. 

Logan frowned as Max triumphantly said, "See, I told you it was broken, and look the light is still traveling through the buttons." 

Logan looked at the buttons above the doors telling you which floor you were now on and sure enough the light was on floor four then three and so on. "I guess the light is on a timer, I just automatically keeps going assuming that the elevator is working." 

"Whatever," Max shrugged, "uh Logan?" 

"Yeah?" He replied. 

"Just a thought, but how are we going to get out of here?" Max asked. 

Logan looked at Max, I hadn't even thought about that, we could be here for hours. Wow, I never realized how small this elevator was. "I don't exactly know. " Logan said as he pushed the buttons of the elevator hoping one would work. Please, something please work. Small space, with Max. Please work. 

Max leaning up against the wall was going through her own worries. I knew the elevator was broken and now we could be here for hours. Hours, alone, with Logan, in a confined room, this is going to be interesting. Well better make myself comfy. Max slid to the floor, her back against the wall, "Logan, hate to bruise your ego, but I'm pretty sure we're stuck." 

Logan sighed in defeat, "Yeah, I guess so." He too sunk to the floor sitting across from Max, "So now what do we do?" 

Max shrugged, "Wait." 

"For?" Logan asked impatiently 

Angrily Max retorted, "Hey don't get snippy with me, you're the one who got us into this mess. And I dunno, wait for someone above us to push the elevator button or something." 

Logan sighed, "Great." 

Max nodded and silence consumed the elevator. 

He is such a guy, I mean he had to be all big and macho, proving me wrong. Man, I already had a shitty morning, now I'm stuck in here with Logan for who knows how long. In this small confined space, with even less space separating me and Logan. Ah, stop it…no good can come of this. 

Why didn't I just listen to her? Why did I have to get us stuck in this elevator, alone, with only a few feet's distance between us. NO, I can't start thinking about that. I have to control myself, no matter how small this elevator is. 

After sitting for what seemed like eternity each berating themselves at the temptation sitting across from them. Finally Max couldn't take the silence any more, "So, got any bright ideas on how to pass the time?" 

Logan shrugged, pushing the thoughts of how he really wanted to pass the time, "We could always play twenty questions or something." 

Max frowned, "What?" 

"Twenty questions…you know I think of something and you have twenty questions to figure out what it is. It's dumb I know, but unless you've got something else to do." 

Max stared at Logan incredulously, "As a matter of fact I do…wait for the elevator to work. There is no way I'm playing that dumb game." 

"Oh come on Max, that's boring." Logan whined. "I used play games like this when I was a boy on road trips, they're fun." 

Max snorted, "I am not playing these juvenile games with you just so you can rehash on your childhood memories while I'm stuck in here. I have patience. I can wait. And don't think I'm forgetting that this is your fault." 

Logan rolled his eyes, "Oh come on Max, we're stuck I here, what else are we going to do? We could be here for hours, we might as well make the best out of it." 

"Yeah, and by playing children's games too." Max said in mock excitement. 

Logan frowned, "Fine, we'll just sit here and be miserable." 

Max sat in defiance, I can't believe he wants to play games at a time like this…make the best of it. If I had a choice I'd be in his pent house drinking my coffee, eating some sort of breakfast, and trying to ignore the tension between us but no, I'm stuck…what is he doing? 

While Max was silently fuming to herself Logan had been growing more bored by the minute, Why is she pegging this all on me. Like I knew the elevator was going to get stuck. This is so boring…and of course she is just too good to play games. What a party pooper…'This is the song that never ends, and it goes on and on my friend…' 

Pretty soon he had started singing out loud, breaking into Max's thoughts. 

"This is the song that never ends, and it goes on an on my friend, some people started singing it not knowing what it was, and they'll continue singing it forever just because, this is the song that never ends…" Logan smiled at Max as he continued singing. 

What on earth is he singing? And why? This is going to be such a long wait. 

On the fourth verse of The Song that Never Ends Max finally interjected, "Logan shut up!" 

Logan just grinned wildly and continued, singing even more loud, "ThIs Is ThE SoNg ThAt NeVeR EnDs…" 

Max sat annoyed, "God, Logan, shut up!" 

Logan was all out yelling now, "THIS IS THE SONG THAT NEVER ENDS…" 

Finally Max broke, "Alright, alright, alright, I'll play that stupid game with you!" 

"SOME PEOPLE…ok, can I start?" Logan asked excitedly. 

Max shrugged, "I don't care as long as you stop singing that damn song." 

Logan smiled, "ok, um, let me think. Ok I got it. Now, yes or no questions only." 

"Is it an elevator?" Max asked nonchalantly. 

Logan looked at Max suspiciously, "What do you have psychic abilities too?" 

"No you're just too obvious in what you would pick." Max sneered. 

"Fine, Miss Unobvious, you come up with something better." Logan retorted 

Max rolled her eyes, "Ok." 

Logan thought for a moment, "Is it food?" 

"No." Max answered. 

"Is there any in here?" 

"Yes." 

"Is it an inanimate object?" 

"Yes." 

"Is it bigger than a bread box?" 

"Depends, what's a bread box?" 

"A box that holds bread, kinda self explanatory." 

"Then no" 

"Is it buttons?" 

"Yep" 

Logan threw his arms up in victory, "Oh yeah and in only five questions. Who's obvious now?" 

Max groaned, "Me cause I was looking right at them!" 

"Oh, so my turn again." Logan stated. 

Max sighed, "Oh come on do we have to? We already played, I mean come on at least play a better game." 

"No, I wanna play this game." Logan complained. 

Max thought for a moment, "Ok, but only if you let me go again." 

"No, you just went. It's my turn." Logan whined. 

"Logan you are such a baby, now come on I've go a good one, please?" Max pouted. 

Logan sighed in defeat, "Fine, have it your way." 

Max smiled, this is going to be fun. "Ok shoot, no wait, how big exactly is a bread box?" 

Logan thought for a moment, I think large enough to hold one loaf of bread." 

Max nodded, "Ok, continue." 

Logan shook his head, "Alright, is there one in here?" 

Max nodded her head, "Yep." 

"Would I be able to touch it from here?" 

Max started giggling, "Uh hu." 

"Is it bigger than a bread box?" 

At this Max started laughing, "Nope." 

Logan frowned, "What's so funny?" 

Max suppressed a laugh, "Hey you said only yes or no questions!" 

Logan put his hands up in defense, "Ok, sorry. Uh, is it part of the elevator?" 

"Nope." Max smiled again. 

Logan scrunched up his face thinking, "Is it my glasses?" 

"Nope." 

"My shoes?" 

"Nope." 

Logan looked around him, "Ok give me a hint." 

Max thought for a moment, "No, that's cheating." 

"Ok…is it on me?" 

Max looked Logan up and down, "Sure is." 

Logan looked himself up and down, "Is it a piece of my clothing?" 

Max grinned wickedly, "Nope." 

"Are you sure it's in here?" 

"Positive." 

"Have you seen it before?" 

Max began to giggle again, "Not yet." 

Logan turned red, "You're not thinking of what I think your thinking are you?" 

Max began to laugh, "I don't know, what are you thinking?" 

"Cause if you are that is even more juvenile than…wait what do you mean not yet?" Logan cried. 

Max laughed even harder, "I figure it's only a matter of time." 

Logan now turned pale and looked at the floor, "Max, I don't think I want to play this game anymore." 

Max joked, "Why not? Is it getting hard?" 

Logan looked in Max's eyes, "What!?" 

Max rolled her eyes, "I meant the game Logan, and you have a dirty mind." 

"And we're done." Logan interjected. 

"What don't you want to know what it was?" Max asked crawling towards him. 

Logan swallowed, "Uh, Max, I don't think…" 

Max put her index finger in her mouth and began to suck it, "Why Logan, whatever do you think it is?" 

Logan gulped, "Max, come on…" 

Max was inches away from him now her face only inches away from his, "Logan, it was," She leaned in so she could whisper it in his ear, her hand slowly moving up his body, "It was," she leaned in even closer, her wet finger resting on his chin. 

Logan stirred uncomfortably, "Max." 

Max closed her eyes trying not to giggle, "Your strong, smooth, hard, unshaven…chin." At this Max began giggling incessantly crawling back to her spot across the elevator. 

She silently cracked up as she watched Logan wet his lips nervously, "Right, that's what I was thinking too." 

Max snorted, "Was not, you dirty little boy." 

"Ok, so my turn right?" Logan said with a new enthusiasm. 

It was Max's turn to complain, "Oh come on Logan , at least can we play a different game? How bout the honesty game?" 

Logan studied Max, "Depends, how do you play?" 

Max grinned, "Basically we ask each other questions we've always wondered about each other and we have to be honest. Me and Cindy play it all the time." 

"Ok, I'll bite." Logan said. 

Max grinned evilly, "Excellent." 

"Why don't I like the sound of that?" Logan asked with trepidation in his voice. 

Max scooted towards Logan sitting cross legged, "Ok, so think of good questions, no cheesy `what's your favorite color?' crap." 

Logan himself sat cross legged, "Ok. And I can ask anything I want?" 

"Yeah, anything you want." Max answered. 

"Ok," Logan said, "then I want to start." 

"Fine by me." Max shrugged. "Hit me with it." 

Logan grinned wickedly, "Were you really thinking about my chin?" 

Max grinned back and shook her head, "No." 

"What were you…" Logan began. 

"Nu uh, one question at a time." Max interjected. 

Logan sat back, "Ok, I'm ready, bring it on." 

Max thought for a minute, "What size shoe do you wear?" 

Logan, knowing the underlying theme in the question answered, "19." 

Max looked at Logan's shoe, "Hey, you HAVE TO TELL THE TRUTH." She reprimanded. 

Logan wagged his eyebrows, "Well it should be a 19, but it's a 13." 

Max nodded to herself, "Some ones a little full of himself." 

Logan thought a minute before asking his question, "So when you go into heat, do you ever think about me?" 

Max flushed red, "Uhm, well." 

"Remember you have to tell the truth." Logan prodded. 

It was Max's turn to stir uncomfortably, "Yeah." She whispered. 

Logan said nothing in response, obviously a touchy subject, "Ok, your turn." he said. 

"When you were in the coma," Max began, "what did you dream?" 

Logan looked surprised, "Uh, well you and I were dancing to Sibyls." 

Max's eyes widened, "No way." 

Logan looked into Max's eyes, "If I hadn't have almost died, would you have gone with Zack?" 

Max stomach started to churn, "I, never really thought about it." 

Logan gaze pierced hers, "Yes you have, remember you have to tell the truth." Logan whispered. 

Max looked up, tears all a sudden threatening to fall, "Uh, I don't know. I never came to a conclusion." 

Logan, knowing she was lying let it slide seeing the change in her eyes. Max, after clearing her head asked, "Were you lying when you said the kiss outside your uncles cabin didn't mean anything?" 

Logan cupped her face with his hand, "Yes." Was all he said. 

Max tried to swallow the lump in her throat. "Me too." 

Logan grinned, "Hey that wasn't my question." 

Max froze. Logan feeling her body tense leaned to whisper his next question in her ear, "Max," 

"Yeah?" she whispered back. 

"Dance with me?" Logan asked. 

Max looked him in the eyes, "But there's no music." 

Logan shrugged standing and pulling her to her feet. "So, use your imagination." 

Thinking a minute Max finally agreed, "So what are we dancing to?" 

Logan smiled grabbing Max and pulling her towards him, "Sibyls." 

Max looked up at Logan, "Good choice." 

Logan slowly began to dance around the elevator, as they continued he began to hum, Max joining him. Together they danced until they finished humming the whole song. 

Max smiled, completely comfortable. "Logan?" 

Logan pulled back a bit so he could look Max in the eye, "Yeah?" 

"What happens next in the dream?" she asked meekly. 

Logan gazed into Max's dark brown eyes, "This." he said as he leaned in and kissed Max. 

Max, slightly surprised but satisfied kissed him back. Logan pulled Max to him, closing all the space between them intensifying the kiss. Max put her arms around his neck, tenderly playing with the hair at the nape of his neck as he placed his arms around her waist making lazy circles on her back. 

Logan broke the kiss, "Max," he began, only to be shushed by Max's finger on his lips. 

"No speaking Logan, this is our moment, just let it be." She whispered. 

Logan nodded, holding Max to his chest, her head resting in the crook of his neck. Both closed their eyes, savoring the moment. Without realizing it they began to slowly dance around the elevator again. Logan, deciding to end the moment tilted Max's chin up with his finger, "Max, What happens next in real life?" 

Max leaned in her lips centimeters away from his, "Whatever we want." 

Logan taking this to be an invitation kissed Max again, this time with more passion. Max closed her eyes and opened her mouth, welcoming his soft tongue to mingle with hers. Logan brought his hands up and cupped her face then ran them down her body while Max ran her hands over his chest. Logan began playing with the hem of the shirt Max was wearing as she pushed him up against the elevator wall. Logan startled by Max's eagerness began to slowly lift Max's shirt to reveal her soft stomach. Max pulled away from the kiss, feeling Logan's hands caress her stomach. She searched his eyes, "Logan, I have to know, before we go any further." 

Logan rested his hands on her hips, "What?" 

Placing both her hands on his chest she sighed, "Is this just a heat of the moment thing?" 

Logan placed his hands around her face, gazing into her eyes he saw fear, "Max, I'm tired of putting on the façade that there is nothing between us. I'm tired of pretending that I don't think of you almost every minute of every day. I want you Max, all of you and everything that comes with you." 

Max smiled, "Even though I'm a messed up super woman?" 

"Especially because of that." Logan answered with a gleam in his eye. 

Max looked into his deep blue eyes and with tears in her own she asked, "Logan, what does it feel like to be in love? I mean is this only hormones, or is it something deeper?" 

Logan pulled her to his chest hugging her with all the love in his heart, "It's deeper for me, but only you can answer that for yourself." 

Max cried softly into his shoulder, "I'm so scared and confused, I wasn't made to feel these things. What's happening?" 

Logan only embraced her tighter, "Max, shhhhh. It's ok, and you were made to feel these things. You're human just like me, we're meant to know what love is. You are meant to know what love is." 

Max looked at Logan, "Is this love?" 

Logan smiled, "I hope so." He said as he cupped her face with his palms wiping her tears away with the padding of his thumbs. Tenderly he kissed her again, "Max, you have control, what do you want to happen next?" 

Max gazed into his loving blue eyes, he had just put his whole heart in her hands. Max dragged him to the center of the elevator lacing his fingers with hers, "Show me what love is Logan." 

Logan locked her dark brown eyes with his, he put his hand over her heart, "This," he said, "is love. The feeling you have right now, like you could fly if you wanted." He touched her stomach, "The butterflies in your stomach, the look in your eyes, its all love." 

Max swallowed, a batch of new tears began to fall from her eyes, "Logan, is it really possible for me to be in love?" 

"Right now, I'd say anything is possible Max." Logan replied. 

Max gazed into him, "Logan…" Max began, "I think I love you." 

Logan smiled his arms wrapped around her waist, "And I you." 

Max smiled tears continuing to fall, "Show me?" 

Logan needed no further encouragement. He kissed her tenderly, taking his time delicately running his hands up and down her back. She in turn leaned into him, wrapping her arms around his neck while slowly stroking his shoulders. She began to let her hands wander to the hem of his shirt as he placed tender, warm kisses down her jaw line. Slowly she pulled his shirt over his head, and tossed it behind her. She stared at the well defined chest in front of her and ran her hands up and down his pecks. Logan unintentionally flexed at the touch, his blood beginning to boil and head south. 

Knowing there would be no objection he gently pulled her shirt off, tossing it behind him. He gazed and her body then at her face, "Max, do you know how beautiful you are?" 

Max smiled, and shook her head, "Do you know how beautiful you are?" 

Logan smiled shaking his head, "Not half as beautiful as you." 

Max trailed her hands down his chest across his stomach and stopping as she reached his waistband. Logan held his breath, he'd thought about moments like this so many times. Oh how he prayed this wasn't a dream. 

Max chuckled, "Breath Logan." 

Logan let out his breath as he moved one hand to her breast and one had to the back of her head, "Max," he breathed as he kissed her while massaging her left breast soon moving his other hand to her other breast. Max moaned her nipples hardening at his touch. Slowly Logan made a trail of kisses down to her collarbone. His arousal growing as time passed. Ever so slowly Max unbuttoned and unzipped Logan's jeans sliding her hands lower until they came in contact with his erect shaft. 

Logan groaned at the contact his hips bucking uncontrollably. "Max, wait." 

Max slid her hands away, pushing his pants the floor. Logan stood only in his dark green silk boxers. Max backed towards the wall smiling, "My Logan." She whispered. 

Logan stalked towards her, his body yearning for contact with hers once again. "And my Max." He said as his hands undid her pants. She kissed him, her mouth longing for his. 

"Logan, " Max began, "Make love to me now." It was more a demand than a request but Logan didn't back down, he slowly pulled her pants down to the floor and she gracefully stepped out of them. He lifted her small frame and gently laid her on the elevator carpet. 

Max pulled him onto her, hey body aching for him. "Now Logan, please." She pleaded. Wasting no time, Logan removed both their undergarments. He stared into her eyes, waiting for her approval. Seeing what he was searching for he slowly entered her. He watched as pleasure etched every crevice of Max's face. Tenderly the two began to move as one. 

"Logan," max moaned. 

Logan groaned with pleasure at the sound of his name coming form her lips as it just had. He kissed her, feeling a knot beginning to form with in. "Max," he cried as the knot began to expand. 

Max, feeling her climax beginning began moving faster. Together they both came, the knot in Logan exploding as he poured himself into her, and Max seeing stars as her inner muscles convulsed. 

Logan and Max held each other, saying nothing, for a long time. They're eyes were saying more than they could express anyway. After a while Logan shivered and slowly he broke away. Max mock pouted as he grabbed for his boxers the warmth of his body leaving her, "Hey, come back, I'm all cold now." 

Logan smiled and threw her a shirt, "Then put something on silly." He said as he leaned in a kissed her. 

Max smiled, "Oh why thank you kind sir." returning the kiss. 

Logan stood, gathering their clothes and lying them in a corner, "Come here." He called to Max. 

Max made her way over to the clothes, "What's this?" 

Logan smile, "Our bed." He chimed as he pulled her into his arms lying down onto the makeshift bed. "It's wonderful, she purred. Logan smiled, happy to have her in his arms, happy to be stuck in this elevator. 

"And you didn't want to be stuck in here with me." Logan gloated. 

Max swatted him on the head, "Hey this is still all your fault mister." 

Logan cuddled with her more, "And I'll thank God every day that it happened." 

Max and Logan lie in each other's arms for the remainder of the day talking about anything and everything, an aura of comfort now filled the air. As the hours passed eventually the couple fell asleep. 

"Ding!" Max stirred, as she felt the elevator move. Her eyes opened realizing that they were in fact moving. She snuggled up to Logan, his arms around her, he stirred and she kissed him. "Logan, we're moving. Get up." Max ordered. 

Logan just groaned, "I don't want to." 

"Logan we've been stuck in here for hours, come one get u…" Max was cut off by the opening of the doors. There stood Mrs. Moreno and her husband. 

Max scrambled for her pants, prodding Logan, "Sweetie, you need to get up, NOW." 

Logan opened his eyes, oblivious to the Moreno's. "Why?" 

Max tilted her head to the open doors, "Because some one else needs the elevator." 

Logan looked to open doors, Mrs. Moreno stood smiling, her husband looked like he was in shock. "Oh my god!" he exclaimed as he grabbed for something to cover himself with. As he did, the elevator doors closed and Max quickly pushed the button for the Penthouse. 

She slid to the floor as the elevator made its ascent, suddenly she began to giggle, "Did you see the look on Mr. Moreno's face!" Logan looked at Max his face flushed in embarrassment. He tried to pretend to be mad, but soon he began to laugh too. 

"I can't believe it, I don't think I'll be able to face them ever again." Logan laughed. 

The doors slid open once again to reveal the hallway to the penthouse. Max and Logan stood, still chuckling. Logan grabbed Max's around the waist letting her lead the way to his door, which was open. 

Logan frowned, "That's odd, didn't we close the door before we left?" 

Max shrugged, "I don't remember I had my eyes closed remember?" 

Logan peered into his place, cautiously walking to his room Max close behind. As they reached Logan's door, the toilet in the guest bathroom flushed, someone was here. Both froze as the door to the guest bathroom opened to reveal Bling. Both sighed thankful it wasn't some one after either of them. Bling seeing the scantily clad couple grinned, "I knew it was bound to happen sometime." He joked. 

Logan frowned then remembering what he and Max had on he turned four shades of red, "Uh, hi Bling, we're, uh, just going to get dressed now. Kinda long day, uh, be out in a few seconds." 

Bling nodded, grinning like an idiot, as the couple sheepishly walked into Logan's room. Logan sighed, "Well at least we figured out how to tell him." 

Max grinned, "Yeah, now how do we tell Original Cindy?" 

Logan smiled taking Max in his arms, "Well does your place have an elevator by any chance?" 

A/N: So what did we think? There won't be any sequel, I have too many other thoughts rolling around in my brain to elaborate any more on this. Just be thankful that they're together and happy. Please review, it would just make my day even better! Thanks to all who read it and won't review too. Oh and everyone should really read Shadows of the Past by luvvbug101 cause it's a great FanFic! 

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	2. When the Music Fades

Disclaimer: As established in the first chapter I do in fact own Dark Angel and am holding Michael Weatherly hostage as my sex slave with the help of Autumn and Amanda. Yeah right. Lets use more than point five percent of our brains here people, if I owned Dark Angel would I really be here posting amateur fan fiction? Yeah ok.  
  
A/N: Ok I know it's been forever and a day but this is a REALLY long chapter and it's taken me a while to write. This takes place after the whole elevator scene, but you should be able to figure that out. Uhm..yeah enjoy and please post a review or email me at katerpillar_03@hotmail.com. I'm yearning for reviews! Well maybe not yearning, but pretty damn close =P enjoy and may I present you with the second chapter...  
  
  
  
~*~*~*~*~ When the Music Fades ~*~*~*~*~  
  
  
  
Max grabbed her small bag, tears streaming down her cheeks as she walked out the door. This was the last time she'd ever see the apartment she'd come to love. This was the last time she'd see Seattle. Tears continued to fall as she straddled her bike and rode away. That morning she had figured out why she had been sick every morning for the last past week, she had found out why her emotions had been so whacked out. She was pregnant, with Logan's child. She never thought anything would come from the one night of passion the two had shared in that elevator. She hadn't even been in heat either. She never dreamed that this would happen.  
  
Deciding that it was too much of a risk to stay in Seattle, Max had to leave. She knew Logan would figure out that it had something to do with Manticore, but she knew he would still worry about her. She wished with all her might that she could stay, but her mind was made up. She left without one word, without even a note, headed to an unknown destination. Max rode for days, finally she stopped out of exhaustion. in the outskirts of Columbus, Ohio.  
  
Sure enough nine months later Max bore a daughter into the world, Samantha Richelle Guevera. She had found a midwife so she wouldn't have to deal with all the doctors and it had worked well.  
  
Together she and Samantha, Sam for short lived in their small house. Max never mentioned any of her prior life to Sam because she didn't know if she had the guts to tell her. But as time moved on Sam grew curious and eventually the time would come for Max to tell her. Max dreaded that day, she didn't know what she would say or do.  
  
Sam was twelve now, and almost the spitting image of Logan. Soon she would have to tell her, but as Max walked into her house thirteen years after she had left Seattle she never expected it to be today.  
  
Sam walked to the door to her mother's bedroom and slowly turned the knob. She knew her mom would be home from work any minute but she had to see his face again. Quickly and silently she made her way to the small box hidden under the bed. She pulled it out, and with her small delicate fingers she slowly opened the box. It was filled with pictures from a world unknown to Sam, the world before she was born. She lifted the small stack of pictures, the top picture of a young black woman with frizzy hair and lanky blonde white man with his arm around the girl smiling, each held a glass of beer in hand. Sam flipped through the pictures and finally finding the one she had been searching for.  
  
She stared at the man in the picture, he was standing in front of a cabin leaning up against a tree, with a pair of blue jeans, his hands in the pockets, and a blue v-neck sweater. A small pair of glasses lay on the bridge of his nose, his hair hung in a shaggy manner, and his chin was covered in soft looking stubble.. He had this cocky grin on his face, as if he knew the answer to the photographer's question but he wasn't going to tell. He was incredibly handsome, but the most apparent of his features were his eyes. They were a deep crystal blue, just like hers. She turned the photograph over and read the back, as she had before a hundred, maybe a thousand times. Logan Cale, my love, May 16th 2020. She turned the picture over in her hands studying the man's every feature once again. He looked so tender and loving. Like he could wipe away all her doubts and fears with the blink of his eyes. Sam started into the man's eyes, has he the father she had dreamt about since she was a little girl? Was he the father she'd never known but always longed and hoped for?  
  
Sam had come across the box while cleaning her mom's room when she was only six.  
  
  
  
~*~  
  
  
  
Her mom had awoken her early that day announcing that it was going to be there day to clean. Drowsily Sam smiled, nodded her head, and grabbed onto her mommy's neck. Her mom pulled her close, hugging her baby girl. They stood hugging for a moment, Sam struggling to stay awake while being held in her mommy's strong arms. Slowly her mom walked to the kitchen, Sam still in her arms. "Come on baby, let's eat!"  
  
The mention of food made Sam stir, "Ok, Mommy." She yawned.  
  
Max smiled as she set her baby girl down, "What sounds good for breakfast?"  
  
Sam shrugged, "I don't care, as long as it's good."  
  
Max chuckled, "Isn't it always?"  
  
Sam nodded, "Always mommy, always."  
  
The two decided on sausage, eggs, and pancakes. They ate in silence, Max figuring out what part of the small house they would tackle first, and Sam just trying not to fall asleep in here maple syrup. They finished and Max decided on her bedroom as a start.  
  
She opened the door revealing the room with light yellow walls, a window with white frilly curtains, a full size four post bed with white sheets and comforter strewn about them lazily, a small dresser with a framed picture of Sam in it, and closet with clothes hung in it. Sam had always loved her mommy's room, it was so bright and comfortable. Scary dreams were non existent in her mommy's room. Many a night Sam had crept into the room and under the covers to be comforted by her mommy.  
  
Max walked to the bed, "I think we'll start by making the bed. What do you think?"  
  
Sam smiled and bounded onto the bed, "I think we should start by jumping on the bed!"  
  
Max grabbed the small girl by the waist lifting her above her, their foreheads touching, "Not now you little goose!" She joked.  
  
Sam pretended to pout, "But mommy, it's just so inviting, I mean look at it. I can hear it calling my name, 'Sam, come and jump on me.'"  
  
Max smiled placing the girl on the floor, "You know that bed can't talk you goof ball! Now get over there and help me."  
  
Sam frowned, almighty mom had one this skirmish, but then next one would be hers. Sam bent down to pick up a pillow off the ground, her eyes landing on a small wooden box. She knelt down and grabbed the box, it had a heart with roses caved into the rose wood, and the initials M.G. + L.C. were inside the heart. Sam shook the box but only the sound of papers rustling was heard. Sam set the box on the ground and opened it, the picture of the man lay there.  
  
"Mommy, who's this?" she asked holding up the photograph.  
  
Max was at her daughter's side immediately, grabbing the picture out of her hands and putting it back into the box. "It's no one, baby." She lied as she shoved the box under the bed, "Just an old photo." She said, more to herself that to her daughter. "Come on, let's finish the bed."  
  
  
  
~*~  
  
  
  
Sam had never forgotten that day and every chance since she had pulled out the box and looked at the picture. She knew he was someone special. She knew he wasn't "no one." Suddenly the door to the room opened revealing her mother. Sam jumped and stood, photograph still in hand, "Mom, I just."  
  
Max put a hand up and sighed, "I don't want to hear it. Just go to your room."  
  
Sam nodded solemnly and made her way out of the room, "Yes ma'am."  
  
When she reached the door Max stopped her, "The picture." She demanded holding her hand out.  
  
Sam looked at he picture once again before handing it to her mom, tears beginning to form in her eyes, "I'm sorry mom. I just wanted to see his face."  
  
At this Max softened and cupped her daughters chin. "Honey, one day I'll tell you all about it, but until then just leave it alone ok?"  
  
Sam pulled her chin away, "Mom I'm twelve, I'm not a little girl anymore, I deserve to know who he is and why he and I have the same nose, the same mouth, the same eyes. Mom is he my fath."  
  
"Samantha Richelle, I don't want to talk about this now. Just go to your room." Max cut her off.  
  
Sam stormed off to her room slamming the door and turning on her music leaving Max standing in her bedroom doorway, the picture of her one true love staring at her. Softly she closed her bedroom door and picked up the small box. "Logan," she whispered, "my love." Silently she began to cry. She lay on her bed scared to face her own daughter. Scared to face her past.  
  
Sam lie on her bed, music blaring from her stereo. She tried to drown herself in the music but her thoughts kept going back to the man in the picture. Who was he? Was I possible that he was her father? Was he the LC on the box? Why was he being kept a secret from her? Sam cried into her pillow the frustrations of growing up without a father causing her body to shake with rage. She just wanted to know who she was. She wanted to know why she looked so much like the mysterious man in the photograph. For twelve years she'd grown up with a father shaped hole in her heart and for some reason looking at that picture made the hole seem smaller. She had hoped and dreamed that one day he would walk into the house to claim her as his daughter. That he would come and be her hero. She loved her mother very much but she longed to have a father. She longed for some one to put her arms around her at night, and read her bedtime stories. Her heart ached from wishing and dreaming for this for so long. She had asked her mother before but her mom had jus said when she was older. Well she was old enough to know now. Sam continued to cry, her heart braking at the thought of never seeing the photograph again. She pounded her fists into her bed in frustration and hurt until she eventually fell asleep.  
  
  
  
Max, after arguing with herself for well over an hour left her own room and made her way to her daughter's room. She knocked and opened the door only to find Sam asleep. Max watched her baby girl sleeping, she looked so much like him even with her eyes closed. The stereo was blaring so Max shut it off, deciding to wait for her daughter to awaken before she explained everything. Silently Max left the room to make herself some hot tea. After making the tea she sat at the table waiting for her little girl to emerge from her bedroom.  
  
Max had been waiting for two hours before the door to Sam's room opened. Sam crept to the kitchen, her face falling when she saw her mother. Her eyes looked as cold as ice as she went to the refrigerator to get some milk.  
  
Max took a deep breath, "Baby, you have to understand."  
  
Sam poured herself a glass of milk and retorted, "Yeah, well you have to understand too."  
  
Max looked at the empty mug in her hands, "Sam, sit down, let's talk about this."  
  
Slowly Jaz turned, put the milk away and sat with her glass of milk, "Ok."  
  
Max studied her daughter, her eyes, her mouth, even her nose resembled his. The only thing she didn't have was his figure and his hair. "You look just like him." She began, "Everyday I see him in you. Maybe an expression or a phrase you say." Max trailed off, tears threatening to fall.  
  
"Who mom?" Sam asked silently hoping it was who she wanted it to be.  
  
Max looked her daughter in her eyes, "Your father, Logan Cale." At this Max pulled the picture of him out of her pocket and handed it to Sam.  
  
Sam apprehensively took the picture, "But, who is he? Where is he? Why doesn't he want me?" she asked her voice wavering.  
  
Max grabbed Sam's hand, "Samantha Richelle Guevera, don't' you ever for one moment think he doesn't want you. The truth is he doesn't even know you exist."  
  
Sam stared into her mother eyes searching for truth, "What? How can he not? I mean, I'm twelve and I know what happens when two people have sex."  
  
Max stared at the table, "I never told him. I ran away right after I found out."  
  
"Why mom? You wrote "My love" on the back of this picture. Why did you run from the man you loved?" Sam questioned.  
  
Max sighed, "It's so complicated Sam. You wouldn't understand."  
  
"Well, at least try?" Sam pleaded. "I've grown up with out a father, I deserve to know why."  
  
Max took another deep breath, "Sam, I don't really know how to tell you this, but I'm not exactly what you might call human."  
  
Sam snorted, "Right Mom. I'm serious, tell me about him."  
  
Max stared Sam in the eyes, "Sam I was created in a lab, a secret government operation called Manticore made me. Me and hundreds of others." Max told her how she was created, what she was created for, how she and eleven other of her siblings had escaped after the pulse, and how she had met Logan ten years later.  
  
Sam sat in awe after Max had finished, "So why did you run away from him? What happened? Well I know what happened, but how.or why?"  
  
"I was scared honey," Max answered, "I knew that if I stayed Logan would never let me go. I didn't know if I could handle that. I didn't know I loved him then. So I ran. I packed my bag and took off on my motorcycle. I never looked back, and nine months later you arrived. After that I couldn't face him again, so I stayed here. I promised myself I'd tell you when you were old enough. I should have known that it would be now and not ten years down the road."  
  
Sam got up from the table and hugged her mom, "Mom, I love you, and thank you for telling me about this, but what about him. Tell me more about him."  
  
Tears fell as Max hugged her little girl back, "I shouldn't have kept all this from you this long. You did deserve to know. I'm sorry baby. What do you want to know?"  
  
Sam also began to cry, "Anything, please," she pleaded. "What's he like? What's he smell like? I wanna know everything."  
  
Max pulled away from the hug, "Let's get more comfy cause this could take awhile." She suggested.  
  
Sam didn't argue and just followed into her mother's bedroom. Max climbed onto her bed and patted a spot next to her, "Here, come sit on my bed." Max said  
  
Sam smiled and fell into her mother's arms, "Ok, now you tell me everything." Sam said.  
  
Max smiled, "Logan Cale, man of my dreams" Max began, "He was kind, polite, a perfect gentleman, and god could he cook. Every time I ate there was some new culinary miracle awaiting me and it always tasted sinful. He always smelled good, like cologne and a distinct Logan smell. It's indescribable, but definitely one of the most heavenly smells out there. He lived in the Pent House of a building called Fogle Towers, it was the top floor, but he hated heights. I guess it was because he wanted the best, and if the best was the top floor that's where'd he'd be. He was always worrying about me, telling me to be careful. And the man never shaved. It was like murder getting him to get rid of the stubble. I don't think I'd ever see him with out all his stubble gone. But that always added to the persona that Logan was." Max continued to talk about the man she loved for hours until the two of them fell asleep.  
  
  
  
A week later Max walked into her house two grocery bags in her arms, "Sam," she called as she set the bags on the table, "come and help me bring in the rest of the groceries."  
  
Max walked back to the car grabbing two more bags. She walked back into the house, "Sam," she called again. "get your butt out her and help if you expect to eat."  
  
Not hearing anything coming form her room Max walked to Sam's door. "Hey," she knocked on the door, "you awake?"  
  
Still hearing nothing, she opened the door to find that no one was there. Max shrugged it off, figuring she must be at one of her friends.  
  
  
  
Sam walked into the airport, a backpack slung over her left shoulder, a pillow under her right arm and her wallet in her right hand. She approached the teller, "When's the next flight to Seattle?"  
  
The teller looked her over, "Leaves in about an hour."  
  
"Ok, how much?" Sam asked opening her wallet.  
  
The teller punched a few numbers into a machine and answered, "350 dollars."  
  
Sam fished in her wallet for the right amount, "Can I have a ticket please?"  
  
The teller looked at Sam, "What's a girl like you doing with so much money?"  
  
"Rich Grandparents." Sam lied.  
  
The teller sighed and took the money, "Sure they are." He said as he handed her the ticket, "Customs is through there, do what they say and there shouldn't be any problems. If you're not on by final boarding call your left behind and this is a nonrefundable ticket."  
  
Sam smiled, "Thanks mister."  
  
The man nodded and called out, "Next."  
  
Sam smiled to herself, she was really going to see him. She was going to meet her father. Her dreams were going to become a reality. She knew it was against her mother's wishes but it wouldn't have come to this if she had been told the truth in the first place.  
  
Sam made it through customs with out a glitch. She chose a bench to sit on and waited for the boarding call to come. The butterflies in her stomach becoming more and more active as the time approached. Sure enough an hour later Sam boarded the plane. She sat in her seat, she put her headphones on anxiously awaiting the arrival in Seattle.  
  
  
  
Max ran into the house, heading straight for her daughter's room. It was almost dark outside and she still hadn't heard from Sam. She had called all Sam's friends, been to all the places she thought Sam might have been, but she still hadn't found her. As a last resort she decided to search Sam's room in hope of finding a clue as to where she was. She threw the door open, the room still empty. She ransacked the room, searching high and low for anything that might lead her to her daughter's whereabouts. After searching the desk, closet, and dresser, only the bed was left. At this time max was in an all out frenzy. She began throwing blankets and pillows everywhere. One pillow knocked a picture of the two of them that had been sitting on Sam's desk onto the floor. At the sound of the glass cracking max turned and picked it up. When she turned the picture upright a small piece of paper fell onto the ground. Max bent over to pick it up. She unfolded the note and froze at what she read. It was to Logan, explaining how he was her father and that she wanted to meet him. Max sighed, at least she knew where she was headed. Quick as lightning max packed a small bag and headed to the airport.  
  
Finally arriving at the airport she burst out of the car and sprinted to the nearest ticket booth. Surprisingly a concord plane was leaving in a half-hour and there were a few open seats left. Max handed the teller the money and headed off to customs. Making it through in record time she ran onto the plane, thinking the sooner she was on the plane, the sooner it would take off. She got to her seat terrified of what she was about to face.  
  
Max walked off the plane, it had taken only and hour and a half and she now had an idea of what she would say to Logan, but still worried that he might have moved on and be married with two kids and a dog. She made her way out of the airport and hailed a cab, telling the cabby to take her to Fogle Towers. Not even five minutes into the cab ride and it started to rain. Max smiled, she had missed Seattle so much. She'd missed the smell of rain, the frizz of her hair and even missed the rain itself.  
  
Thirty minutes and two sector checks later the cab rolled up to Fogle Towers. Max handed the cabby the money she owed and took a deep breath as she made her way into the familiar building. The ride up seemed shorter than she remembered and as she reached the door he heart began to pound. She knelt and picked the lock, as she had millions of times.  
  
  
  
Logan walked through the market picking out the best produce and other groceries that he could find. His place was almost empty of food except for a too ripe banana and some pre pulse macaroni and cheese. Finding everything he desired he paid the man and walked to his car. He sighed as he started to drive away, wishing that he could call Max and ask her to come to dinner. But she was gone, there was nothing he could do. He just had to move on, it'd been thirteen years already.  
  
He arrived at Fogle Towers and parked, grabbing his groceries and heading up to his place. He was trying to figure out what he was going to fix with all the stuff he'd just bought when the elevator arrived, he stepped in and pushed the PH button. He leaned against the wall waiting for the elevator reach his level. His mind took him to the night he and Max had spent in here all those years ago. He thought it'd been a sure thing. He thought she would stay forever that she'd really loved him, but the next week after the event she'd left with out a word.  
  
At first he thought I was just a temporary thing. He knew Manticore had been sniffing around Seattle looking for genetically enhance beings more aggressively than usual, be he thought it'd only be for a few days. When she never came back he began to question if it was him and the night they'd shared. It'd been thirteen years since she'd left but he'd never gotten over her. She was his one true love, and he never doubted that. He'd tried relationships with other women but in the end he always would want them to be Max, and none of them were. His hopes that she would ever come back, were still there, but fading. Even as he rode up in the elevator he hoped that Max might be there, waiting for him in the living room. Or that she might walk in while he was working or cooking.  
  
The elevator arrived at his floor and he walked out but stopped as he saw someone kneeling in front of his door, trying to break in. He dropped the grocery bags and ran to grab the trespasser. He spun the intruder around and demanded, "What are you doing?"  
  
  
  
Max tensed as she felt someone grab her and spin her around demanding, what she was doing. She was prepared to kick this moron's ass, but stopped when she saw who it was.  
  
Logan gasped as he realized who it was, "Max?" he whispered.  
  
Max smiled shyly, "Logan." She whispered back  
  
Logan felt tears spring to his eyes he dreamt about this for so long, for her to be here. He pulled her into a hug, "Is it really you?"  
  
Max, tears rolling in meekly squeaked, "Yeah, it's me."  
  
Logan stood there, content in holding her forever, but Max pulled away, "Logan I need to tell you something."  
  
Logan looked her in her eyes, how he'd missed those deep chocolate brown eyes, "What? What is it?" he questioned, the groceries on the floor completely forgotten.  
  
Max smiled uncomfortably, "Can we go inside first?"  
  
Logan nodded as he fumbled for the key in his pocket. He shoved the key into the door and quickly opened the door for her, "Yeah, please come in."  
  
Max nodded her head and walked in, the place hadn't changed a bit save for a thicker layer of dust covering his things. As the smell of his penthouse hit her she smiled. It smelled distinctly like Logan, she loved that smell.  
  
Logan closed the door after he walked in and made his way to the couch that Max was sitting on. She didn't' look much different than he remembered. Her hair was longer but everything else seemed the same.  
  
Max smiled as he studied her, he looked different, his hair was shaggier and his scruffy stubble was now flecked with gray, as was his hairline. His eyes were just as blue as she remembered though. His eyes reminded her of why she was here in the first place.  
  
"Logan, you might want to sit down for what I'm about to tell you." Max suggested.  
  
Logan frowned, "Ok, but where have you been? You've been gone thirteen years, what have you been doing?"  
  
Max sighed, "Well first why I came back." She looked him in the eye, this was not going to be easy but she just took a deep breath and continued, "Well, do you remember about thirteen years ago we, you know.in the elevator?"  
  
Logan smiled puzzled, "Yeah."  
  
Max nodded, "Yeah, well you know that I took off the next week right?" at this Logan nodded his smile leaving. "And the reason I left."  
  
Logan interjected, "Max it doesn't matter, all that matters is that you're back."  
  
Max shook her head, "No Logan, you've got to listen to me. I left because, Logan I was pregnant."  
  
Logan froze, his mind went blank. Of all the things she could have said, that was not the one he expected. "Wha..pregnant? Really. Wow, I mean...why didn't you? Why did you?"  
  
Max looked at the couch, "Yeah, I didn't know what to think either."  
  
Logan stared at the wall still getting over the initial shock, "Well, is he.or uh she here?" Logan asked.  
  
"No, not yet at least." Max answered.  
  
Logan looked to Max, "what do you mean not yet? Where is he or uh she?"  
  
Tears began to form in Max's eyes again, "I, uh I don't know where exactly she is. All I know is she's on her way here. I mean, she ran away on me and then I found this letter she wrote to you, and I just put two and two together, and by the time I figured out where she was going, and I didn't' know how she was getting here. I just I had to." Max trailed off, her voice cracking and the tears starting to fall. "I didn't' know what else to do or where else to go."  
  
Logan sat a whole new feeling taking hold of him, "Max, It's ok." Logan reached out to her but she pulled away.  
  
"No," Max argued, "Logan, its my fault. If I would have told her about you earlier or if I hadn't run. If I wasn't a bad mother."  
  
Logan tried to comfort her, "Max, it's ok. She's on her way here, and albeit I don't know her she's your daughter, she's got your strong will. She'll make it here."  
  
Max looked Logan in the eyes, "Our," she said, "She's our daughter Logan. And she's only twelve. What if some one hurts her? I don't even know how she's getting here. She could be lying on the side of the road right now and it'd be all my fault."  
  
Logan grabbed Max by the shoulders, "No Max. Don't say that. She's ok. You raised her how you thought was best. I'm sure she's got a good head on her shoulders."  
  
Max shook him off of her, "How can you be so calm about this? Logan I was gone for thirteen years, I had a child, our child. You don't even know her name. How can you be so calm and collected about the fact that I hid her from you? That I hid you from her?"  
  
Logan sighed, "Because I trust you. Even after thirteen years I trust you. You did what you thought was best."  
  
Max's eyes softened, "Logan, you always were understanding. Thank you."  
  
Logan nodded and pulled her into a hug, "Max, she's ok. I'm sure of it."  
  
Max cried into Logan's shoulder, "I hope your right."  
  
The couple sat there, embracing each other, Max crying until she had no more tears. Logan still trying to piece together everything Max had told him.  
  
Max broke the silence, "Samantha."  
  
Logan frowned, "What?"  
  
Max smiled and looked Logan in the eyes, "Her name, Samantha Richelle Guever.Cale."  
  
Logan smiled "Beautiful."  
  
Max leaned against his chest, "She looks like you, has your nose, your mouth, your chin, and mostly your eyes. She's so beautiful. You'll see."  
  
Logan smiled and squeezed Max tighter, "Yes, I will."  
  
As he said that there was a knock at the door. Max shot off the couch, "Logan that's her, I know it."  
  
Logan stood and put his hands on her shoulders, "Calm down, I'm sure she's fine. Sit, I'll get the door."  
  
Max nodded in agreement and sunk back down on the couch, "Right, you get the door."  
  
  
  
Sam's flight had ended up being delayed. Right after she had settled herself in her seat the pilot announced that there were a few technical difficulties that needed to be worked out. Sam sighed, well she'd waited twelve years, what was a few more hours? The passengers were aloud to stay on the plane so Sam sat and waited patiently. After two hours of waiting the plane finally began to taxi the runway. A half-hour later she was in the air on her way to her father, Logan Cale. Sam had planned her runaway the morning she'd woken up in her mother's arms a week ago. She figured that she knew where he had lived and knew his name. How hard could it be? All the savings she had stashed under her mattress she gathered, it totaled almost three hundred dollars. Sam had stolen another hundred and fifty from her mom two days later. The night before Sam ran away she hadn't been able to sleep. Thoughts of the man in the picture, Logan Cale, and the fact that dreams might become a reality the next day kept running through her mind. Finally that afternoon her mother had left the house and Sam had caught the bus to the airport. Now here she sat on a plane on her way to see her father. The sleep she'd lost the night before all a sudden catching up to her. It was now dark outside, and the music she was listening to was so melodic and soothing. In no time she was asleep.  
  
Sam awoke to the sound of tires meeting the ground, she looked out the window and then at her watch, it'd taken almost five hours and she'd slept the whole way. Sam stretched her arms as the plane came to a stop. She was only a few minutes away from meeting him. Her stomach flip-flopped as she walked off the plane, through customs, and finally hailed a cab.  
  
A cab pulled up to the sidewalk and Sam got in, "Where too?" the cabby asked.  
  
"Fogle Towers please." She replied  
  
The man behind the wheel nodded and took off. Sam was getting more nervous as time passed. Traffic was back up and it seemed to take forever to make it to Fogle Towers, but finally almost an hour later the cab stopped, "That'll be forty bucks."  
  
Sam opened the door and paid the cabby, "Thanks."  
  
The cabby tipped his hat at her, "No problem kid."  
  
Sam smiled and turned, this was it, she was going to meet her dad, and he was only a few yards away. Sam looked up at the big building. She took a deep breath as she made way inside and to the elevator.  
  
She felt like she was almost going to throw up she was so nervous. Her palms were sweating and there was a lump in her throat. She pushed the elevator call button and watched as the lights signaled which floor it was now at. The elevator opened and Sam walked in. She leaned up against the wall and looked at the buttons. She started at the button marked "PH." How many times had her father touched that button? She pushed the button, leaving her finger there for a moment trying to feel his fingerprints. The elevator began to rise and so did the nervousness Sam felt. The elevator seemed to take forever but then not long enough because soon enough the doors opened.  
  
Sam slowly stepped out of he elevator. The hall was empty except for two grocery bags that looked as if they'd been dropped. Sam frowned at the two bags but then spotted the door. The door that her father was on the other side of. Tears began forming in her eyes but Sam pushed them away as she walked to the door. She took the picture of him out of her pocket and held up her fist, she almost lost her nerve to knock but then shook her head and knocked on the door.  
  
She stood waiting for the door to open, tapping her foot in anticipation, the butterflies turning to frogs in her stomach. Sam stared at the doorknob as it began to turn. The door opened revealing the man she had been dreaming and hoping about. Sam stared into his eyes, the same eyes she had stared at in the picture. The man in her dreams stood before her. Her father stood before her.  
  
Sam swallowed, "Are you Logan Cale?"  
  
  
  
Logan walked to the door, butterflies flying in his stomach. His daughter, his very own flesh and blood was right outside his door. He slowly turned the knob, anticipation growing as the space between them decreased. The door swung open and there stood a beautiful young girl. Her eyes filled with fear and excitement, her hand holding a photograph. Logan felt a lump form in his throat as the girl stared at him. She had the bluest eyes he'd ever seen. The hair on the back of his neck stood on end as the girl asked, "Are you Logan Cale?"  
  
Logan stared at the angel in front of him for another moment before he nodded his head. Max had said she was beautiful but that seemed to be a major understatement. This girl was perfect. The girl was a part of him.  
  
Logan found his voice, "Yes, I am Logan Cale."  
  
Tears formed in Sam's eyes, she tried to hold them back but the sound of his voice was too much. She closed the distance between them and wrapped her arms around his waist. She began to cry as she felt him put her arms around her. Sam never wanted to let go, she'd found her dad, the man in her dreams, and she was content to stand with his arms around her. But he let go and knelt down to look her in the eye. As his face leveled with her she reached out with her small hand and stroked his stubble covered chin. His eyes filled with tears at the touch. She studied his face, "Daddy?"  
  
Tears began to flow from his eyes as he nodded his head and whispered, "Yes."  
  
A new batch of tears flowed from Sam's eyes at this. She hugged him again, this time her arms around his neck. Logan, on his knees, embraced the girl holding her to his chest tears streaming down his cheeks, "My baby girl." The two stayed there, eyes closed, Sam with her arms wrapped around her father's neck and Logan on his knees embracing his daughter.  
  
  
  
Max watched Logan walk to the door. She prayed that it was her little girl, that she was safe and sound on the other side of the door. She listened as the door opened. Not a word was uttered and by the silence Max knew it must be her daughter. Max sighed a sigh of relief, her fears gone at the sound of Sam's voice, "Are you Logan Cale?"  
  
Max listened as Logan answered, "Yes, I am Logan Cale."  
  
Max stood slowly making her way towards the door. As she peaked around the wall she saw the two of them hugging. "Daddy?" Sam questioned as she studied his face after he had gotten down on his knees.  
  
Max saw the tears in her daughter's eyes and tears formed in her own eyes as she watched Logan nod and whisper, "Yes."  
  
She walked to the two, all three of them in tears, and lay a hand on Logan's shoulder. Logan opened his eyes and looked up. Sam also opened her eyes and the feel of her dad looking up.  
  
Sam looked at her mother, fear beginning to creep it's way into her heart. She opened her mouth to say something but was silenced by Logan pulling her mother down to her knees and embracing both of them, "My girls." He cried.  
  
Sam forgot about the fear and embraced him again, the feeling of his arms, and now her mother's arms, around her felt so good. She felt so safe, so comfortable.  
  
Logan cried openly at the feeling of his two precious girls in his arms. As the moment passed he looked at both of his angels. He took Samantha's hand and promised, "I had no idea, I swear I would have been there had I known."  
  
Max stood pulling Logan up with her, "Come on," she said, "Lets get this figured out."  
  
Logan nodded and began to let go of Samantha's hand but Sam would let go. He looked at her and smile putting his arm around her, "I'm not going anywhere." He comforted.  
  
Sam smiled and walked with him to the couch, "Good." She said.  
  
They reached the couch and sat down, max at one end, Logan at the other and Sam between them.  
  
She scooted more towards her father not wanting to let go of him, not wanting the moment to end.  
  
Max looked at her daughter, "Sam, meet your father Logan Cale."  
  
Sam looked up at Logan, "Yeah, we've met."  
  
Logan smiled at Samantha, putting an arm around her, "Hi." He smiled.  
  
Logan looked at Max, his eyes full of love, "Now tell me what you've been up to these last thirteen years."  
  
Max smiled, "Well," she began. "After I left, I didn't know where I was going or what I was doing. I was so scared."  
  
  
  
~*~  
  
  
  
Max wept as she crossed the state line into Idaho. She didn't have a destination, she didn't know where she was going, she didn't know what she was going to do. All she knew was that she needed to get away. She continued to ride across countless state lines. Stopping only for gas and food. She rode for weeks, trying to sort out all the jumbled thoughts in her mind.  
  
The night with Logan had been so perfect. She thought it was the real thing. She had found someone she could love, someone who could love her. But her being pregnant was too much of a risk. She didn't' think he would want her now, or he wouldn't let her go. She also didn't want to put him in anymore danger than he was already into with "Eyes Only" and his knowledge of about Manticore. A child would only heighten the risk factor. Max desperately wanted to turn around and go back to Seattle but she knew that it would only bring pain and suffering for both her and Logan. She promised that the child she bore would never have to worry about his or her safety. Never, would he or she know about Manticore or "Eyes Only" or anything that might bring harm. Max would keep her baby safe at any and all costs.  
  
Max had been riding across the country for almost two weeks when she finally stopped. She had ridden through a little town a few days ago that looked homely and safe. It was on the out skirts of Columbus, Ohio and that was where she decided her destination was.  
  
She found a job as a waitress and a small house that suited her. She told no one about her past life. If any questions about her were asked she simply would lie and say her boyfriend had been abusive and so she ran away from him. People seemed to believer her so that became her life.  
  
As time passed her stomach began to swell. Her child was growing. Max didn't know how she was going to deal with the birth. Doctors would ask too many questions, questions Max wouldn't be able to answer. She began asking around about midwives and natural childbirth. A fellow waitress, Amanda, told her of a woman named Jamie Wilson. Jamie had helped Amanda give birth to her son Erik. Erik's delivery date had been in June but he had decided to come in May. Jamie had been there and helped Amanda through the whole process. Upon hearing this Max went to Jamie and asked if when the time came she would be there. Jamie agreed and she and Max became great friends.  
  
Jamie was an older woman, in her early fifties and the only one who knew about Logan. She was the only one who knew the truth. Max had been so emotional the day she had gone to see Jamie it had just slipped out. Jamie understood though and promised to keep it a secret.  
  
Finally on February 18, 2021, Max went into labor and, as promised, Jamie was there by her side the whole way. The week before the actual labor occurred Max had been having contractions and so when the actual labor began it was short but intense. Two hours after Jamie got there out came Max's little girl.  
  
Max had been so scared but when she saw her daughter her fears were replaced with an intense and growing love. Max held her daughter in her arms crying at the beauty she held in her arms. She wished Logan could be there, causing the tears to come even stronger  
  
She missed her life back in Seattle, she missed her friends she even missed her job at Jampony Express. She had wanted to call Original Cindy and tell her about her little girl. She had even picked up the phone a few times, but always the logic in her head convinced her to just hang up the phone.  
  
With her child here Max was able to keep her self busy enough to not thing so much about her life in Seattle. The responsibilities of being a mother now running her life. After a week that her child had been here and finally she had come up with a name. She wanted the name to be special, something that had meaning and after thinking long and hard she had come up with Samantha Richelle.  
  
Samantha was the name of a nurse she had known while still in Manticore. She was one of the nurses that had been in the infirmary on the day of Max's worst seizure attacks. Samantha had stayed with her and held her hand while the seizures laid claim to her body. Max had never forgotten her and didn't think she ever would. Richelle was Jamie's middle name and since Jamie had been such a help to her during her pregnancy that Max had decided to name her child after her.  
  
Max and Samantha, Sam for short, continued to live in the small house Max had been staying in. The small town had become a place Max trusted and loved. As much as she missed Seattle she loved it here too.  
  
Sam seemed to be growing more each day, and before she knew it Sam was talking and walking, her second birthday just around the corner. Soon after that it was her fourth and then sixth birthday. Time seemed to be flying by. Max had decided that she would home school Sam, just to be safe. Everyday Max was surprised at how fast Sam was able to learn things. She was way beyond her years in intelligence, but then look at her parents. Also as Sam grew, Max was noticing that she looked more and more like Logan. Each day she would see an expression that would remind her of him. The most common was when she would get confused and scrunch up her face. If she had a small pair of glasses balanced on the bridge of her nose she could have sworn it was actually Logan.  
  
It was getting harder and harder to keep her prior life from Sam. She had started asking about her daddy and about why all her friends had one but she didn't. Max didn't know how to answer these questions so she would just change the subject but the day Sam found the small rosewood box under her bed and seen the picture of Logan, Max knew she would have to tell her something. She had said he was no one when asked about him but she knew that Sam could tell she was lying.  
  
Max decided that when the time was right she would tell Sam everything, but until then she would have to be patient. Sam seemed satisfied with that for a while, but then a few years later Sam began to ask questions again. Max would always respond by promising to tell her when she was older, and older she got. Max was always surprised when Sam was yet another year older. She began to become a young woman and Max knew that soon she would start asking about her father again.  
  
For Sam's twelfth birthday Max had given her a card with a date in it. Sam had been confused and asked what it meant. Max smiled and said it was the date that she would tell her about her dad. Sam was ecstatic, she started counting down the days until the day her questions would be answered. It had been only a few months away when she had walked in on Sam looking at Logan's picture. Max had suspicions about Sam sneaking into her room, but she had never known why. Now she did and it was that evening that she had decided those few months left were too far off and it was now that Sam needed to know about her father.  
  
  
  
~*~  
  
  
  
".And so here we are." Max finished. Logan sat mesmerized. He couldn't believe that so much had been going on with out his knowledge. He had missed his baby girl's first word, her first step, her first everything. He snuggled closer to her, in a way happy she had runaway. Max cocked her head to the right, "What about you? What have you been up to?"  
  
Logan sighed, "Not as much as you, not even close. I've just been living day by day, hoping that one day you would return. That one day we could be together again."  
  
Max blushed, "Logan, I wanted to come back, I really did, but I just I couldn't. With Sam and all, it was all just too dangerous. I didn't want to risk it."  
  
Logan sighed, "To dangerous for who?"  
  
Max shifted uncomfortably, not wanting to get into this in front of their child, "For all of us. I didn't want to put any of us in any more danger than I was already risking but simply telling her about you."  
  
"About telling her about her father? Max you hid it from her for twelve years. You hid it from everyone. She had a right to know. I had a right to know. She's my own flesh and blood, and you didn't even tell me." Logan argued.  
  
Sam, watching the conversation escalate cleared her throat, "Hey, come on, don't fight. Mistakes were made, yeah, but what's done is done. All that matters is that we're all together now."  
  
Max looked at her daughter, "No, he's right. I shouldn't have kept it from you, either of you. I have to face the consequences of my mistake. This needs to be dealt with."  
  
Sam looked from her dad to her mom.  
  
"Well then I'll referee." Sam stood and pulled her dad up off the couch.  
  
"OK" she started, "You sit here." She said pointing to a chair across from the couch.  
  
"And mom you stay there." She lifted her finger, "Now I don't want any yelling and you two are to stay seated through out this ordeal." Max and Logan both nodded in agreement. "You," Sam pointed at her father, "You can start. You will ask on question and then you'll give mom a chance to answer. And you, " she pointed at her mom, "you are to be completely honest. No cutting corners. And if either of you break the rules I'll.well I don't know but it'll be something." Sam finished her hands on her hips, both her parents smiling at her.  
  
"Ok, she said taking a step back, begin."  
  
Logan cleared his throat, "Max," he began, "I still don't understand why you left, so why?"  
  
Max folded her hands, "Well, I was scared. I mean it was one night. I didn't think anything, or anyone would come out of it. When I found out Sam was on the way I freaked. I'd never felt love before and I guess I was scared that you wouldn't love me any more. Or maybe that you would love me too much and I wouldn't be free anymore. And I didn't want you to be in any more danger than you already were. And I didn't want you to reject me." Max sighed.  
  
Logan nodded, "So you just took off? You didn't leave a note or anything, you just bailed on me, on all of your friends?"  
  
Sam interrupted, "Hey, that's two questions!"  
  
Max help up her hand, "No Sam it's ok. Yes Logan. I just left. I was scared, what more can I say. All my life I've run from everything I've been afraid of, this was just another thing."  
  
"Right." Logan responded. "Well," he shifted in his seat, "was that night in the elevator," he looked at Sam and then back at Max, "was that what scared you?"  
  
Max looked at the ground, "Partly. I'd never felt like that before, with my siblings or with anyone else. The pregnancy factor only made the fear escalate more."  
  
"But didn't you want to tell me or any of your other friends about all of this?" Logan asked.  
  
"Millions upon millions of times." Max answered, "I wanted to call you every day. I wanted to return to Seattle so many times. I wanted to be with you, I wanted to be with my friends, and I even wanted to be back at Jampony. But I was so scared and the lie was so much easier to deal with."  
  
Logan thought a moment "Didn't you ever think that you leaving was going to be hard for the rest of us to deal with?"  
  
Max looked at Logan, "Logan I wasn't exactly in my right mind. I was more worried about not hurting you or my friends. I was more worried about how I would deal with a child."  
  
Logan sighed, "But Max, in the process of you not wanting to hurt anyone you caused just that to everyone you left. You left without a word, without a note, without anything. You left everyone out to dry. You left those you loved and who loved you." Logan trailed off.  
  
Max sat trying to think of a way out of this. Deciding honesty was her best bet she said the thing she had most feared admitting, "Logan, your absolutely right. I was selfish, I was thinking only of myself, and I did end up hurting everybody I tried to protect. But I didn't know what I was doing either. I was running scared and blind I was clueless to everything but the fear I felt. I'm sorry, I wish I never would have run, I wish I would've had the courage to stay here and face everyone and everything. I wish Sam had known her father, I wish I had stayed. I wish so many things, I just wish this would all go away."  
  
Logan stood and put his hand up stopping Sam from saying anything when he saw that she was going to object. Logan walked to Max, kneeling in front of her, "Max, all is forgiven. Your back, that's all I really ever cared about. The past is behind us, let's just move forward now."  
  
Max looked into Logan's eyes, "Ok." She whispered.  
  
Logan pulled max into a hug, "Max there's just one thing I still need to know."  
  
Max pulled back, "What?"  
  
Logan smiled, "In those thirteen years did you ever think about me and my chin?"  
  
Sam scrunched her face in confusion and watched her mom blush and say, "Logan, I don't think that's."  
  
Logan interjected, "Hey you have to tell the truth remember?"  
  
Sam looked from Max to Logan, "Wait a minute? What are you guys talking about?"  
  
Max, not hearing Sam smiled, "Oh right like your size 19 shoes right?"  
  
At this Logan blushed, "Hey, was I lying when I said it should be a 19?"  
  
Max chuckled, "I am not answering that now." She said looking at Sam.  
  
Logan laughed, "Hey you didn't answer my first question."  
  
Max looked at Logan, "I'm not answering that either."  
  
Logan looked at Sam. "She has to tell the truth thought right?"  
  
Sam looked from her mother to father, "Depends, what are you talking about? I'm lost."  
  
"And you will be until your older, a lot older." Max jumped in.  
  
Sam stared at her mom, "Why?" she asked her curiosity growing, "Tell me what? Come on you guys this isn't funny."  
  
At this Logan began to laugh, "Well, actually it kinda is. Now if you must know..."  
  
"LOGAN!" Max interjected, "you will not tell her!"  
  
"Tell me what?" Sam insisted.  
  
Logan waved his hand at Max, "Don't worry I won't tell her everything. Sam, a while ago me and your mom were locked in an elevator and to pass the time we played twenty questions and one of your mom's things was my chin, and one of mine was my shoe size. Simple as that."  
  
Sam looked at her mom and then her dad, "That was the big deal? His chin and he has size 19 shoe.. Oh my god!" Sam looked at her dad, "Oh gross! You mean you." At this Logan turned bright red.  
  
"Samantha Richelle Guevera Cale!" Max exclaimed, "You will not finish that sentence let alone that thought." Max looked at Logan, "See why I didn't' want you to say anything."  
  
Logan shrugged his face still quite red, "Well how was I supposed to know she would know that?"  
  
"Logan, she's twelve. She's not dumb." Max defended.  
  
"Woah, wait a minute. There is so a story behind this come on you guys. You have to tell me. I bet it's some romantic thing. I mean mom told me about how she was so in love with you. And you two were trapped in an elevator? You have to tell me." Sam pleaded.  
  
At the word love Logan looked at Max who had conveniently become enamored with the arm of the couch. "What did you just say?" he asked Sam.  
  
"You have to tell me." Sam repeated a little slower for emphasis.  
  
Logan shook his head, "No before that.you said your mom had told you how she was so what?"  
  
Sam frowned, "So in love with you?"  
  
Logan cocked his head, "Really? She told you that huh?"  
  
Sam nodded, "Yeah, I knew before she told me though. I mean she wrote it on the back of this picture too. See," she showed him the back of the picture, "My Love."  
  
Logan grabbed Sam's hand and pulled her into the next room. He smiled and whispered something into Sam's ear. When Logan finished she looked at him, "What?" Logan was going to whisper it to her again but Sam stopped him, "No I heard you, but what does it.I don't get it."  
  
Logan smiled and nodded towards the next room., "Just go tell her." He said with a wink.  
  
Sam walked towards her mom, and whispered in her ear, "He says he always knew it and he wants to know if there's an elevator in you old apartment."  
  
Max snapped her head up and looked to the other room, she couldn't believe he'd just said that. She whispered something back into her daughter's ear. Whatever she said made Sam smile and she and Max walked to Logan.  
  
"She say's she has something to tell you." Sam said as he place Max's hand in Logan's "If you'll please excuse me I think I need to use the bathroom. Uh where is it?" She asked but upon seeing the expressions on both his mom and dad's face she changed her mind, "No you know what, I'll find it myself." She finished as she walked out of the room.  
  
Logan stared into Max's eyes, Max into his, "I do you know." She whispered.  
  
Logan stood, "Do what?" Logan prodded.  
  
Max smiled, "I Max Guevera love you Logan Cale."  
  
Logan smiled and embraced her, "And I Logan Cale love you Max Guevera."  
  
Max melted in his arms, "Logan, I've missed you so much."  
  
Logan silenced her with a kiss, a kiss that had waited thirteen years. Max kissed him back but then broke away, "Logan I can't she's in the next room. If I start I'm not going to stop. We have to wait."  
  
Logan smiled, content to have Max back in his arms, "Yeah, but how long. I mean Max it's been thirteen years but I remember that elevator like it was yesterday. I've dreamt of that night so many times I don't know how long I can wait."  
  
Max put her forehead against his, "I know, I know, it's been thirteen year for me too you know. But I will not get into this with our daughter in the next room."  
  
"Ok, it can wait. It's waited thirteen years what a few more hours?" Logan smiled squeezing Max tighter.  
  
"Exactly, I knew you'd see it my way." Max teased.  
  
Logan shrugged, "I'm beginning to."  
  
A few seconds later Sam rounded the corner. The sight of her mom wrapped in her dad's eyes made her smile. She cleared her throat again, "I'm back."  
  
Max and Logan parted but as Max stepped away Logan spun her around and pulled her to him so her back was against his chest, "Find everything ok?" he asked.  
  
Sam nodded and Max looked up at Logan with question in her eyes. Logan said nothing and just pulled her closer to him, her eyes widened as she realized why she had been pulled in front of him, she was being used as a shield, "Yeah it's not too hard to find things here."  
  
Logan gently pinched Max's waist as a caution causing Max to squirm not helping Logan's situation any. Sam looked at her mom and dad slightly puzzled, "Right, uhm do you have anything to eat? I'm starving."  
  
Logan nodded, "Yeah, help yourself to anything you want in the kitchen. We'll be there in a second ok?"  
  
Sam nodded, "Ok, thanks.Dad." She said, trying out how it sounded.  
  
Logan smiled, "No problem.honey."  
  
Sam nodded and made her way to the kitchen. Max smiled and then turned around, "Logan! I can't believe you!"  
  
Logan blushed, "Sorry, like I said it's been thirteen years and well I'm only human. Like your it's not "too hard" statement helped anything."  
  
Max grinned, "Oh is the big baby gonna cry now?"  
  
Logan poked her in the side, "Hey, I'm not a baby."  
  
"So I see." She teased looking at the apparent bulge in his pants.  
  
"Well what I'm I going to do? I'm not going into the kitchen like this." Logan stated.  
  
Max shrugged, "I dunno just think of something else."  
  
"Such as?" Logan asked exasperated.  
  
"I dunno," Max said thinking, "you grandma in a thong or something."  
  
Logan winced, "Oh gross, well yeah it's working but still.  
  
Max grinned and grabbed Logan's hand, "Come on, let's go eat dinner with our daughter." She said as she led him into the kitchen. "You can whip us up one of your Cale Culinary Miracles, cause god I've missed those."  
  
Logan smiled, "I'll cook you two something very special. Something fit for my queen and my princess."  
  
Max smiled, "I think I can handle that."  
  
Max and Logan entered the kitchen to find Sam going through the cupboards. When Sam heard the two enter she turned and asked, "So, where's all the food?"  
  
Logan frowned then remembered the grocery bags, "Oh!" he exclaimed, "My groceries, hold on." He walked out of the room, returning seconds later with two grocery bags in his arms. "Sorry, I totally forgot about these. My attention was slightly diverted at the sight of a gorgeous woman breaking into my apartment..again."  
  
Max smiled and Sam frowned, "What? You guys have so much to tell me. I mean, I'm not understanding any of this. So spill it."  
  
Logan put the groceries on the counter and looked to Max, "Well?"  
  
Max shrugged as she started unpacking the bags, "So I'm not accustomed to keys, takes too much time."  
  
Logan rolled his eyes helping Max, "Right, I mean five whole seconds to pull a key out of your pocket, put it into the lock and turn. Definitely much slower than picking the lock."  
  
To this Max just shrugged and mumbled something under her breath, "What was that?" Logan questioned.  
  
Max smiled, "Oh nothing." She said innocently.  
  
Sam smiled at the banter being traded between the two, "You guys sound like one of those old married couples in a movie I once saw."  
  
At the word married Max and Logan stopped sorting the groceries, locked gazes, and shifted uncomfortably. Logan broke the gaze and shrugged, "Yeah well it must be those old movies we used to watch."  
  
Max nodded, "Yeah."  
  
Sam moved to the counter where both her parents stood, "Jeez you guys lighten up, it was just and observation." She said.  
  
Max shook her head, "Yeah I know, it's just that..ok, so what for dinner again?"  
  
Sam rolled her eyes and mumbled, "Whatever you guys did in that elevator, you seriously need to do it again. The tension in here is so thick I could cut it with a knife."  
  
Max swatted Sam's hand with a bag of breadsticks, "Hey, I heard that."  
  
Sam looked up innocently and Logan frowned, Heard what?"  
  
"Nothing!" Max and Sam said simultaneously.  
  
"Right." Logan said as he walked to the sink and began to wash a head of lettuce. "What do my girls like in their salad?" He asked grabbing some more vegetables.  
  
Max shrugged, "I don't care."  
  
Sam added, "As long as there's no tomatoes I'm good. Do you want any help with anything?"  
  
Logan looked around the kitchen, "Uh, sure, here." he backed away from the sink. "You can finish washing the vegetables and then put the salad together. Put whatever you want in. He said, then bent down to grab a bowl from the cupboard, "You can put it in here."  
  
Sam smiled, "Ok thanks.dad."  
  
Logan smiled and patted Sam's shoulder, "Your welcome." He looked at Max, "Ok, you ready to help me make the main course?"  
  
Max looked at him like he was crazy, "What?" she said in disbelief. "Logan, I couldn't cook before. What makes you think I can cook now? I still burn water. Just ask Sam."  
  
Sam looked up and nodded, "She's not lying. About the only thing she can cook are those old microwave dinners."  
  
Logan chuckled, "Ok, then you can help me stir and set the table."  
  
Max walked up to Logan, "The table? Are you sure I can handle such a big task?"  
  
"No, but I think I'll chance it." He said stealing a quick kiss.  
  
Max smiled resting her hand on his chest and looked into his eyes, "Ok."  
  
Sam grinned, even though she hadn't seen the last actions of the two she had could here the emotions in their voice. She turned around to ask where I knife was to chop the rest of the vegetables and her smile widened at the moment the couple was currently enveloped in. She cleared her throat, "Uh guys." She said. Max and Logan both turned to look at her, "Sorry to interrupt, but do you have a knife?"  
  
Logan grabbed a knife out of a drawer and handed it to Sam, "Here. And watch out, it's sharp."  
  
Sam nodded and continued her making the Salad.  
  
Logan turned back to Max only to discover she had begun setting the table so he began to cook their meal.  
  
An hour and numerous moments between Max and Logan later dinner was served. Logan smiled as he placed the food on the table, "I present for my queen and princess chicken fettuccini alfredo and breadsticks. Accompanied by the wonderful garden salad prepared by my beautiful daughter. Let's Eat." He said sitting down at the table.  
  
The three sat eating, making small talk, and enjoying each others company and the meal. Max and Sam both adding their sentiments on how incredible the meal tasted.  
  
After dinner they cleaned up the kitchen. Sam and Max washed the dishes and Logan cleaned off the table and counters.  
  
In the middle of washing the dishes Sam flipped some of the soapsuds onto her mom's shoulder, "Oh, mom sorry." She said trying to wipe them away only to add more.  
  
Max smiled, "It's ok." She said as she grabbed a handful of soapsuds from the sink and rubbed them on Sam's head. "Oops!" she joked.  
  
Sam glared at her mother, "You know this means war right?"  
  
Max grinned and gracefully evaded the handful of soapsuds headed her way. Sam's eyes widened as her hand hit Logan's chest instead. "Oh my god, sorry, I meant to get mom."  
  
Logan looked at the suds covering his sweater and then at Sam. He grabbed a dishtowel to wipe himself off, "It's ok." He said before he snapped her with the dishtowel, "But don't do it again!" he joked.  
  
Sam stared at Logan in mock anger, "Oh you are so dead." She said launching for the sink to throw more suds his way. Not being as quick as Max, Logan got splattered with more suds. At this time Max had snuck up behind Sam ready to snap her with a dishtowel she'd been using to dry the dishes. "Surrender or die!" she joked.  
  
Sam dropped to the floor, "Never!" she cried as she rolled away and Logan ended up getting snapped.  
  
"Hey!" he cried evading the next snap.  
  
"Oh no you don't!" Max said backing Logan up against the wall. Logan braced himself for the snap but Max just looked at him innocently, "What?" she questioned.  
  
Logan tried to get away from Max only to face Sam.  
  
"Where do you think your going?" she played, dishtowel wound and ready.  
  
Logan looked from Max to Sam, "Ok ok ok." he said throwing his hands up in defeat. "You win, I lose."  
  
Max and Sam looked at each other, towels still aimed for Logan. Max relaxed her stance and nodded Sam down, "We'll let you go this time, "she said to Logan, "but next time you're gonna get it!"  
  
Logan smiled and shrugged, "I'll take what I can get." He turned back to the dishes. "And I must say you two are the worst dish washers ever. I mean look at all the soap suds everywhere?" At this Sam and Max both snapped Logan with their dishtowels. Smiling Logan whirled around, his hands holding the remaining suds, and rubbed them onto Sam and Max. The two stood, soapsuds clinging to their shirts with Logan chuckling.  
  
"Didn't expect that one now did ya?" he quipped as he made his way across the kitchen, "Now finish those dishes, or I'll cancel desert."  
  
Max and Sam stared at Logan. Sam opened her mouth to say something but Max put her hand on her shoulder and said, "No Sam, he's mine, and girl is he gonna be paying for it tonight."  
  
Logan grinned, "Oh really? And how's that?"  
  
Max grinned back, "You'll see." She said turning to finish the dishes.  
  
Half an hour later the dishes were done, counters were wiped clean, and the floor had been swept. The trio stood in the middle of the kitchen surveying their handy work when Sam yawned.  
  
"Man, I'm so tired." She said as she yawned a second time.  
  
Logan looked at his watch, "You should be its almost midnight."  
  
Sam shrugged, "Uhm hum, so where do I sleep?"  
  
Logan put his hands on her shoulders and guided her into the guest bedroom, "How's this?" he asked.  
  
The site of a queen size bed satisfied Sam's requirements so she just nodded and climbed onto the bed. Realizing she still had her shoes on she groaned as she sat up and took her shoes off. Max and Logan turned to leave the room.  
  
"No, please don't go yet. Come here." Sam said looking at Logan. Logan walked to Sam sitting on the edge of the bed and Sam grabbed his hand, "Will you stay with me till I fall asleep?" she asked meekly.  
  
Logan scooted himself more onto the bed until his back was up against headboard. He pulled Sam into his arms and sighed, "I promise."  
  
Sam smiled and snuggled up to him, "Thanks."  
  
Max smiled at the glimmer in Logan's eye, it was purest love she had ever seen. "Hey," she whined, "what about me? What am I supposed to do?"  
  
Sam looked to her mom and then to Logan, "Think we should let her join us?"  
  
Logan smiled, "I dunno, she does have it out for me."  
  
"Don't worry, I'll protect you." Sam said as she cuddled up to Logan tighter.  
  
Logan looked to Max, "Then it that case, would you like to join us?" he asked holding his free arm out to her.  
  
Max walked to the bed and sat beside Logan. She leaned over and kissed Sam on the cheek, "Good night Sam."  
  
"Night mom." Sam said closing her eyes, "Night dad."  
  
Logan smiled and kissed the top of Sam's head, "Good night princess."  
  
Sam smiled, "I love you, both of you."  
  
Max and Logan looked at their daughter and smiled. "We love you too." They said in unison.  
  
Logan smiled content at having his daughter under his left arm and Max under his right. Never had he thought this was possible. To think he'd started the day off telling himself he would not think about Max today. Amazing how a day can change. He looked at Max and smiled. She was so beautiful, he eyes, her mouth, her lips, her everything. She was so perfect.  
  
Max sat in the crook of Logan's arm content and happy. She had wished and dreamed for this to happen for years, never had she thought it really would. To think she'd started out her day telling herself that today she wouldn't' pine over Logan. Amazing how a day can change. She looked to Logan and smiled. She felt so safe in his arms, like no one could ever harm her or her daughter. He was still so kind and understanding, he was still so perfect.  
  
After a few minutes Sam's breath evened out and she fell asleep. Max looked to Sam and mouthed to Logan, "She's asleep."  
  
Logan nodded and nodded his head towards the doorway. Max nodded and got up from the bed. Logan, careful not to wake her, laid Sam down and covered her with the blankets. He stared at her for a few seconds before he got up off the bed. He looked at Max and put his arm around her waist, "She is so beautiful, so perfect." He whispered.  
  
Max looked over her shoulder at Sam as she turned out the light, "I know." She whispered back.  
  
The two exited the room, Logan gently closing the door, "So," he looked at Max, "Care for some wine?"  
  
Max sighed, "That would be great."  
  
Logan sat Max down on the couch, "Wait here, I'll be back in a minute."  
  
Max nodded and snuggled into the couch.  
  
Logan returned wineglasses in one hand and a bottle of pre-pulse red wine in the other. He set the wineglasses on the coffee table and popped the cork on the wine bottle, "Here." He said handing Max the wine filled glass and taking one of his own after pouring, "is to the beautiful little girl in the next room."  
  
Max clinked wineglasses with Logan's and took a sip. "Logan, I've missed so many things about Seattle, but your wine was definitely one of the top ten."  
  
Logan put his arm around her shoulders, "What were the others?" he asked.  
  
Max sighed setting her wineglass down on the coffee table, "I missed everything Logan my friends, even the weather and my job, but most of all, you and your wine and your culinary miracles."  
  
"Max," Logan whispered, leaning in for a kiss.  
  
Max smiled as their lips met. The passion that had been silenced earlier began to once again ignite as the kiss depended and Max opened her mouth to let Logan have free reign. At the collision of their tongues Max's stomach flip flopped. She grabbed the wine glass still in Logan's hand and set in on the coffee table and ran her hands across his chest, around his shoulders and through his hair. He in turn ran his hands up and down her sides. Logan moved to her neck and gently sucked and nipped at it. Max moaned with pleasure but suddenly tensed, "Logan," she began, "Logan, we have to stop."  
  
Logan stopped and looked at Max, "What? Why?"  
  
Max pushed Logan up off of her, "Logan, I won't do this while my daughter is sleeping in the next room. What if she had to get up to use the bathroom, or get something to drink?"  
  
Logan pulled Max to him, "Then we can use my room."  
  
Max shook her head, "Logan, what if we make too much noise and wake her up. That could seriously damage her."  
  
Logan looked her in the eyes, "The do you not want to do this?" he asked. "We.I can wait."  
  
Max melted at his gaze, "Logan, I want this, believe me I want this. But not with the chance of our twelve year old walking in or hearing us."  
  
Logan shrugged, "We could always use the elevator." He joked.  
  
Max smiled, "You know," she said standing up, "That's not a bad idea. You got some blankets and pillows?"  
  
Logan stared at her, "Max, I was kidding. We can't do that, you know what happened last time we did that. Mrs. Moreno still can't look me in the eye."  
  
Max pulled Logan up off the couch and put her arms around his neck, "Logan," she pouted, "we're not going to be in there all night, just a few hours."  
  
Logan leaned down to kiss her but stopped mere millimeters away from her lips, "As much as I'd love to, Max, I'd rather stay here and just hold you."  
  
Max's arms fell from his neck and landed on her hips, "What?" she asked pulling her head back.  
  
Logan stared into her eyes, "It's been thirteen years Max, I don't want to ruin everything by rushing into anything. Hell yes I want to be with you, God knows how badly I want it, but I also just want to savor this." He motioned to her with his hand, "I want to savor you being back in my life and the best way I know to do that is just to hold you, nothing more nothing less."  
  
Max stared back into his piercing blue eyes. She was speechless, that had not been what she thought he was going to say. She wasn't sure how to respond, "Logan," she began, "I don't know what to say."  
  
Logan smiled, "Then don't say anything." He responded stepping closer to her, "Just savor this with me."  
  
Max smiled back, "Ok." She answered.  
  
Logan grabbed her hand and laced their fingers together and pulling her towards the couch. He sat and gestured to the space next to him with he free hand. Max smiled as she curled up next to him. Logan released her hand from his and put his right arm around her shoulders. Max leaned her head on his chest and held his right hand in her left. Logan rested his head on hers and sighed contently. Neither of them spoke as they sat there. For the first time in thirteen years the two were together and fully content. After an hour or so of sitting there Logan yawned. Max turned her face up to look at him, "You tired?" she asked.  
  
Logan nodded, "Yeah, but I don't' want to move."  
  
Max smiled, "Me neither."  
  
Logan sighed, "Ok, on the count of three we'll both get up."  
  
"Ok." Max agreed.  
  
Logan closed his eyes, "One, two, three."  
  
Both of them just sat there, "Hey," Logan whined, "You didn't get up!"  
  
Max giggled, "Yeah well neither did you."  
  
Logan rolled his eyes and stood pulling Max up with him, "Fine make the mere mortal do all the work." He scoffed.  
  
"Damn right." Max mumbled.  
  
Logan reached the door to his bedroom, "Uh, so how does this work?" he asked.  
  
Max smirked at him, "Usually you turn the door knob and voila the door opens with a little nudge."  
  
Logan rolled his eyes, "No I meant the sleeping arrangements."  
  
"Oh." Max said, "Well, do you want me to sleep with Sam?"  
  
Logan shook his head, "Honestly no, I want to keep you with me." Logan answered.  
  
Max smiled, "Then with you I'll stay."  
  
Logan smiled as he opened the door for Max, "Please enter my humble abode."  
  
"Humble my ass." Max joked as she walked in.  
  
The room was huge, a king size bed was against the far wall covered with a deep red comforter with two bed side tables on either side. There was a huge walk in closet to the left of the bed and to the right was the bathroom. A wooden desk and dresser were each up against opposite walls both with various pictures setting on them and pieces of art hung on the wall.  
  
"Your room has almost more things than my house." Max said.  
  
Logan shrugged as he walked to the closet, "Ok, so my not so humble abode."  
  
Max laughed but then abruptly stopped as Logan emerged from the closet wearing nothing but blue and green plaid pajama bottoms.  
  
"What?" Logan asked at the look on Max's face.  
  
Max shook her head forcing herself to avert her eyes from his very well defined chest. Thirteen years and he still look hot topless, "Nothing," she fumbled, "just.never mind. Do you have any pajamas I might be able to borrow? I don't think I packed anything in my rush."  
  
Logan cocked his head to the side, "Yeah, hold on." He answered walking back into his closet. Max walked towards the closet and spied as he dug through a small shelf. Max smiled as she watched the muscles in his arms flex and he looked through the shelves. Once he found what he was looking for he turned around and Max quickly diverted her eyes. Logan smirked, "I still got it."  
  
Max looked at him innocently, "I don't know what you're talking about."  
  
Logan smiled and flexed every muscle from his chest to his abdomen, "Sure you don't."  
  
Max slightly blushed at the sight, "Yes I am sure." She retorted as she grabbed for the clothes in his hand, "I'll be back in a minute." She said as she walked into the bathroom.  
  
Logan just shook his head and climbed into bed.  
  
A few minutes later Max emerged from the bathroom wearing an old t-shirt and some old drawstring shorts. Seeing that Logan had already gotten into bed she climbed in next to him. As Max was trying to figure out what would be a good distance away from him, Logan pulled Max towards her so her back was pressed up against his chest. Max squirmed,  
  
"Logan," she began.  
  
"Shhhh" Logan interrupted, "go to sleep."  
  
"But the lights are on." Max whined.  
  
Logan clapped twice and the lights when out, "Not anymore."  
  
"You never cease to amaze me Logan Cale." Max joked.  
  
Logan wrapped his arms around her, "That's great, now you amaze me and sleep."  
  
Max cuddled up closer to Logan getting comfortable then closed her eyes. In no time the couple was fast asleep.  
  
  
  
Sam stood in the doorway of the guestroom, her body tense. She could feel an aura of tension in the air but she couldn't peg what it was. She walked into the living room searching for something, unsure of what it was but searching all the same. Unsatisfied she moved on to the kitchen. Unsatisfied again she wandered the house still searching. She ended up in a room filled with computer equipment. Her eyes scanned the room and suddenly she froze as she saw the man sitting in the computer chair facing the screens. A nervous fear encased her body and she stood trying to force her voice to work. She walked to the middle of the room, he sat mere feet away but gave no sign of his knowledge of her presence. Slowly Sam came to stand behind him, she could see his face reflecting off the computer screen. She gently laid her hand on his shoulder but he showed no response. She placed her other hand on his other shoulder but still he showed no response. Worry crept into her heart as she began to shake his shoulders trying to get a response from him but still there was nothing. She looked at the reflection in the computer screen but the expression on his face was blank. It was like he didn't' even know she was there. She put her hand in front of his face, on the computer screen, on his shoulders again but his face remained blank.  
  
Sam began to cry, she called out, "Daddy, please, look at me, something, anything." her voice cracked and at the crack the man turned around. Sam stood straight and smiled hoping to gain his approval but he didn't even look at her. He stood and walked out of the room looking past her. Sam called after him but he kept walking away.  
  
Running up to him she grabbed his arm, "Daddy, please, what is it? Look at me? What's going on." But he just pulled his arm away and continued walking. Sam stared after him tears streaming down her face as anger crept into her heart.  
  
"Why aren't you looking at me? DADDY, TELL ME WHAT'S GOING ON!" she screamed.  
  
The man turned as if he'd heard something but then shook his head and turned away again.  
  
"DADDY, PLEASE.DON'T INGNORE ME. I LOVE YOU, PLEASE." Sam screamed at him,  
  
The man turned around to face her but instead of looking at her he seemed to be looking through her. Thinking he had finally noticed her she pleaded, "Daddy please, look at me, it's me Sam, your daughter. I love you please, Daddy."  
  
The man opened his mouth to speak but then closed it again. His eyes were like ice when finally he did speak, "No." he began, "You are not. Get out of my house. Never come back. I have no daughter, I don't want you nor do I love you."  
  
Sam cried even harder and ran to put her arms around him, "No daddy, please it's me, it's Sam. You know me."  
  
The man still stared ahead as he pushed her off of him, "NO," he yelled, "I DON'T KNOW YOU, I DON'T LOVE YOU." At that he walked back into the computer room.  
  
Sam sank to the floor and curled up in a ball. She cried and cried all the while calling out, "DADDY NO! I LOVE YOU! PLEASE, COME BACK! DON'T LEAVE ME.PLEASE!." But the man never returned. Sam laid curled up as she cried a feeling of complete and utter loneliness enveloping her body.  
  
"NO I DON'T' WANT TO BE ALONE, PLEASE DON'T LEAVE ME, I NEED YOU! DADDY! NOOOOO!" She called out,  
  
  
  
Sam awoke with a start. She was soaked in sweat and tears. Her heart felt so empty and alone. She pulled her knees to her chest and cried the darkness of the room only enhancing the feelings in her heart. She began to shake from emotional strain, her heart felt so cold, she felt so cold. She squeezed her eyes shut trying to calm herself down but the shaking continued. She remembered her dream and screamed, "NO! PLEASE DON'T LEAVE ME. DADDY!" She continued to cry as the light turned on.  
  
  
  
Logan awoke at the sound of something. He turned over to ask Max what he had heard only to find himself alone. He searched the room and his eyes landed on a note. He was about to pick it up when he heard Sam scream. He shot out of bed and was to the guest room door within milliseconds. At the sound of crying he opened the door and turned the light on. He ran to the bed, Sam's body curled up in a ball shaking and crying.  
  
Pulling her into his arms to comfort her he whispered, "Shhhh.Sam, it's ok, calm down, I'm' here."  
  
At the sound of his voice Sam wrapped her arms around Logan and cried incoherently into his chest, "Please, don't leave me, daddy, please."  
  
Logan sat on the edge of the bed Sam's arms wrapped around him in a death grip, "Sam, I promise, I'm not going anywhere, I'm right here." He rubbed her back lovingly trying to calm her down but she still shook and latched onto him while crying. Logan sat unsure of what else to do but hold her and let her cry whatever it was out. Finally her small frame stopped convulsing and the tears began to subside. Her grip loosened and Sam looked up at him, her eyes red from all the tears.  
  
"Why? Why didn't you look at me? You left me all alone. Why?"  
  
Logan put his hands on the sides of her face, "Sam, what are you talking about?"  
  
Sam pulled away, "I was in the room with all the computers and you didn't even see me. You ignored me, you told me you didn't love me. You left me"  
  
Logan frowned but then clued in, "Sam, it was all just a dream. None of it was true."  
  
Sam stared at him in the eyes, "But I was there, it felt so real. I felt it."  
  
Logan tucked one of Sam's stray hairs behind her ear, "I promise you this is real," he grabbed her hand and laid it over his heart, "You can feel me, and I swear to you that I love you. I would never ignore you or leave you. I would never do anything to hurt you."  
  
Sam melted into his arms at his words, "You promise?"  
  
Logan pulled her closer to him, "God strike me dead if I ever say or do anything to hurt you."  
  
She hugged him back, her heart beginning to warm up at the feel of his arms around her. Logan kissed the top of her head and asked, "You gonna be ok?"  
  
Sam broke the hug and nodded, "Yeah, I think so, but will you stay with me?"  
  
Logan smiled, "I'm not going anywhere."  
  
Sam smiled back and looked at the clock, "Oh my god, I'm so sorry, it's 4 am, I woke you up. I'm so sorry."  
  
Logan shook his head and put his hand up, "No, Sam it's ok. You can't control your dreams."  
  
Sam smiled but then her eyes widened, "Mom, oh did I wake her up too? She never sleeps enough, says she doesn't need it but.oh my god."  
  
Logan stood up and held his finger up, "Wait, I'll be right back." He went back to his room and grabbed the note that was resting on he dresser then walked back to the guestroom. He walked back in, "Hey turn the bedside light on will ya?"  
  
Sam nodded and turned it on and Logan switched the overhead light off before he went back to the bed. He sat down on the edge of the bed and showed Sam the note, "She left this in my room. I was going to open in but do you want to?"  
  
Sam took the note and was about to open when she handed it back to Logan, "No, I think she would want you to open it."  
  
Logan smiled as he took the note back and opened it. He read the letter and then looked up and Sam, "She went out for a run about a half hour ago and will be back in a little bit."  
  
Sam nodded, "That's mom, always out for a run at all hours of the morning. She almost never sleeps." She said and then yawned.  
  
Logan smiled and nodded his head, "I know," he said yawning after her.  
  
"Mmhmm." Sam responded as a wave of sleepiness hit her body. "Will you stay with me?" she asked as she lay back down.  
  
Logan nodded and grabbed her hand, "I'll be right here."  
  
Sam smiled climbed under the covers, "Please stay right here." She said motioning to the spot next to her. Logan complied and sat at the spot Sam motioned to and she grabbed his hand, "Thank you."  
  
Logan squeezed her hand in response and turned off the bedside lamp, "Sleep well sweet heart, I love you."  
  
Sam snuggled up next to him, "I love you too Daddy."  
  
Logan smiled as he too was hit with a wave of fatigue. He closed his eyes and leaned his head back. Minutes later the two were both asleep.  
  
  
  
Max stood on the top of the space needle. She had awoken at 3 am and decided to go out since sleep was out of the question. She decided on walking the streets of Seattle reminiscing as she went. She walked around for a while but then ended up at her favorite spot in the city, the space needle. Excitement and anticipation rolled through her body as she made her way to her spot. Once she reached it she closed her eyes. She loved the feel of the wind whipping through her hair, the smell of the air this high. She opened her eyes and looked down at the city. It always amazed her at how normal and unbroken it looked from up here. She stayed there for almost an hour, reveling at the joy of being back in Seattle, of being back with Logan, of being back home.  
  
She took a deep breath before getting down from her spot. Once her feet were back on the ground she headed for Logan's.  
  
Once she arrived back at the Penthouse the sun was just rising. Max stared at it out of Logan's windows the beauty of it putting her in awe. She had missed Seattle so much, everything seemed bigger and better here, she loved it back in Ohio too but Seattle was home, and there's no place like home.  
  
After the sunrise she headed back to Logan's bedroom to take a bath in his jacuzzi of a bath tub. Max smiled at the thought of a nice hot bath. She quietly walked in but stopped when she saw that Logan wasn't there. She frowned and scanned the room but he was no where to be found.  
  
She walked to the computer room thinking he might be working but he wasn't there either. Max walked to Sam's room after searching the rest of the penthouse. She quietly opened the door and peeked her head in. At the sight of Sam curled up besides Logan, Max smiled. They looked so calm and peaceful. Max sat in the chair at a desk and watched the two of them waiting for one of them to awaken.  
  
Two hours and twenty-five minutes later Logan's head bobbed to the left but then jerked upright again causing him to awaken. He opened his eyes slowly and smiled when he saw Max. 'Hey.' He mouthed to her. Max smiled back and waved in acknowledgement. She looked at him and then at Sam in question. Logan waved his hand as to say I'll tell you later. Max nodded and got up, she mouthed to him, 'shower' then smiled as she exited the room.  
  
Logan looked at the clock it was nearly seven thirty. He brought his hand up and rubbed his face as the thought of all the "eyes only" work he needed to get done today. He was already way behind, for years he had been way behind, but today he vowed that he was done being behind on his work. He turned his head to Sam, she looked like such an angel to him, so perfect. Suddenly he was hit with an intense feeling, one of him realizing that she was a part of him. She was his creation. Logan smiled as he watched his very own daughter sleeping. Never had he imagined that he would have a child, let alone that he would be comforting her in bed when she'd had a bad dream. Sam shifted again and then opened her eyes. She looked around for a moment before her eyes landed on Logan.  
  
She smiled, "It wasn't just a dream this time."  
  
"What?" Logan asked confused.  
  
Sam stretched, "You're real and your hear. This isn't a dream but it sure does feel so surreal."  
  
Logan pinched her arm, "Hey?" she asked pulling her arm away. What was that all about?"  
  
Logan chuckled, "Just to prove this is all real."  
  
"Whatever." Sam said sitting up. "What time is it?"  
  
"Almost eight." Logan answered standing up.  
  
Sam stared at him, "As in the morning? What is going on? I'm never up before like ten."  
  
Logan shrugged, "Your probably still on Ohio time."  
  
Sam nodded, "Yeah. Hey, thanks for staying with me last night. I mean I'm sorry I woke you up and all, but thanks for being there."  
  
"Don't' worry about it. I understand." Logan answered smiling down at her. "Well," he began, "I'm going to get ready for the day. Just tell me when you want something to eat."  
  
Sam nodded in response as he walked out the door and to his room.  
  
When he opened his door Max was pulling one of his shirts over her head. "Hey, I was going to wear that today!" Logan teased,  
  
Max looked down at her shirt, "Not any more, I'm wearing it, so deal."  
  
Logan walked to Max "Oh I see how it is, your back so none of my stuff is safe huh?"  
  
Max smiled at him, "Only your clothes."  
  
Logan pulled her into a hug, "Just bring them back when you're done."  
  
Max hugged him back, "I promise."  
  
The two stood there enthralled in their moment. Relaxing completely in his arms Max rested her head on his chest, "So what was that all about? You and Sam?"  
  
Logan shrugged, "Honestly I'm not sure. One minute I was asleep, the next she was screaming and crying in her sleep. When I checked on her she latched onto me with a death grip so I stayed."  
  
Max pulled back and looked to the room fear displayed on her face, "Why? Oh my god, is she ok?"  
  
"Relax, I think it was just a bad dream. She's fine now. Don't worry about it." Logan soothed.  
  
Max relaxed her shoulders, "I know, but everything is all messed up, even more so that we're here. I just, I don't' know.this is all new to me."  
  
Logan pulled her back into his arms, "Max, this is all new to me too, but let's just run with it? Who knows it' might turn out ok."  
  
Max embraced him again and nodded her head, "Yeah.I'm going to go check on Sam."  
  
Logan let go and smiled, "Ok, I'll be out in a minute, and then I'll make you guys breakfast."  
  
Max smiled as she exited the room, "Breakfast, excellent."  
  
Max made her way to the guestroom and knocked on the door. "Hey," she called out, "Can I come in?"  
  
"Yeah." She heard Sam respond.  
  
Slowly Max opened the door and entered. Sam was sitting up in the bed leaning back against the headboard.  
  
"Hey." Max said.  
  
"Morning." Sam replied staring at the ceiling.  
  
"So," Max started, "You ok?"  
  
Sam looked at her mom, "Yeah, why?"  
  
Max shrugged and sat on the edge of the bed, "It's been a big night for you, just checking and making sure your ok."  
  
Sam smiled, "It's weird, so surreal, but so real. All I know is that I'm happy that we're here, that he's here."  
  
Max smiled and grabbed Sam's hand, "I know sweetie. I'm happy too."  
  
Sam's face fell, "But what about when we have to go back?"  
  
Max squeezed Sam's hand, "Let's not think about that right now and just go enjoy the miracle Logan is cooking up for us."  
  
Sam squeezed her hand back, "Ok."  
  
  
  
A/N: ok, so that's that. Hope you all liked it and it didn't drag on, if you actually read the whole thing I applaud you and thank you. Now be a really awesome cool person that rocks the world and leave me a review.that yearning feeling is starting to creep up on me! I NEED FEEDBACK.should I keep going or just let the dead dog lie? It's all about the fan's in my world, I write for your enjoyment!  
  
A/N: Amanda, thank you so much for editing and reading and listening and all of the above! I love you woman! 


	3. No More Music

Disclaimer: Ok, no BS this time. No I don't own DA. Although i wish. But dreams are just that, dreams.  
  
A/N: So here's the third installment of the music series, i don't know how it got that name, it just did, so deal. I hope you guys enjoy all this. Feel free to leave a review because an author never tires from the fans opinions. Thanks to all who reviewed the previous chapters. Pardon the uncapitalized I's, this computer is a nerd so it wasn't catching all the uncapitalizations.  
  
  
  
The three sat around the table in silence. Breakfasts had been simply divine with the Belgium waffles, blueberry's, and whip cream. It had been great, almost like they were a real family but as the table was cleared the question Sama had been dreading came up, 'What was going to happen now?' At first no one said anything and just looked at each other, but then Max slipped into a chair across from Sam and Logan slid into one next to her. No one said anything trying to come up with an answer.  
  
Finally Max took a deep breath and said, "Well, we're going to have to go back to Ohio to sort this all out."  
  
Sam grabbed Logan's hand and squeezed it, "Can't we just stay here? I mean let's just leave Ohio. Forget our old life, let's start new again."  
  
Max closed her eyes and sighed, "Sam, honey, we can't. I did that once and look at all the pain it caused. I don't' want to hurt anymore people. Plus I don't' know how safe Seattle is for me, for us. It could put us into danger, it could put you into danger and I'm not willing to risk the life of my daughter."  
  
"Mom, I don't want to go back," Sam declared, tears welling up in her eyes, "I've waited twelve years to meet my father, I'm not going back now, I'm not going back ever. You can go, but I'm staying here.with dad. I think I deserve to be able to choose." Sam said defiantly continuing to squeeze Logan's hand.  
  
Max looked at Sam and then to Logan for help, "Sam, it's not that easy.Logan come on help me out here."  
  
Logan looked from Sam to Max, "I'm not going to pretend I have all the answers. Ideally I would hope that both of you would stay and we could be a family, but life isn't that simple. As you said Max, you can't just pack up and leave, but also as Sam said she does have a right in this too, this will affect her as much, if not more, than it will to either of us."  
  
Max looked at Logan, "You know we can't just stay here Logan. And I agree wholeheartedly that the dream would be that it would be just that simple to become a family but that doesn't change that there is still danger lurking around every corner for me and everyone associated with me. Especially here where I have a past."  
  
"You have a past in Ohio too," Sam argued, "and we've been ok there. We can do fine here too, just have to keep our heads down. I doubt if they're even looking for you anymore."  
  
Max shook her head, "They never stop looking Sam, and it's too hard for me to live such a secretive life here. I have to many connections here, too many peoples lives at risk, all because of my screwed up gentics."  
  
Logan cleared his throat, "Well what if I moved to Ohio?"  
  
Sam and Max stared at him but Max was the first to respond, "No way. Logan you can't just leave. The people of Seattle need you. I won't let leave them hang out to dry just to be with me."  
  
Sam's eyes darkened and narrowed, "It wouldn't be just for you. I'm apart all of this too, and the people of Ohio need him just as much as the people of Seattle. It doesn't matter where we live, we could live in Bosnia for all I care, just as long as he's there with us."  
  
Logan smiled and squeezed Sam's hand, "I wish it was just that easy but your mom is right, I can't leave Seattle. In my heart I would resent that I left and that wouldn't be good for any of us."  
  
Sam looked at her parents, "Well then what are we going to do?"  
  
"We're going back to Ohio." Max answered, "from there I don't know."  
  
Sam let go of Logan's hand and stood, "No, I won't go back. If you take me back I'll just run again and you'll have to come and get me to drag me back, but then each time I'll run, I'm not leaving him. I love him and I'm never letting dad go. You can't take my father away from me. I don't care what you say, I'm staying here."  
  
"Sam," Logan interjected, "I'd love for you to stay here, but you need your mom. I'm not equipped to take care of you. As much as I love you and want you to stay, I think it'd be best if you went back to Ohio with your mom if only for a while."  
  
Sam stood horrified, tears began spilling from her eyes as she yelled, "WHAT? For crying out loud, can't you guys hear me? I'M NOT LEAVING. I told you I found him and I'm not letting him go. I'm staying right here with my dad." At this she stormed out of the kitchen and into the guestroom slamming the door to make her point.  
  
She threw herself onto the bed squeezing a pillow while the tears continued to fall. This was so unfair. It wasn't' her fault that life was all messed up. And how could they not even seem to care about all the things she wanted. Sam curled up into a ball closing her eyes wishing everything would just all go away and that life would just sort itself out. She could hear the muffled voices of her mom and dad but that only infuriated her more causing more tears to fall. This wasn't supposed to go like this. This wasn't right at all. Running away was supposed to fix everything, not tear everything apart. She had hoped that just by the two of them seeing each other that they would magically fall in love again. That they would get married and they would be a family, even that she might get a little brother or sister, but now it didn't seem like that at all. At the sound of a door closing Sam opened her eyes, some one had just left, but who?. In her head Sam knew it had been her mom. She had feared that her mom would leave, just like she had left thirteen years ago. Sam slowly got up off the bed and silently went to the door. When she opened it she could hear the sound of somebody crying. She walked out of the hallway to see her father sitting on the sofa, head in his hands. She lifted her hand to her mouth, knowing that sure enough her mom had left. Sam closed her eyes and swallowed the lump in her throat. Her hand left her mouth and she wished with all her might that her mom would walk back through the door. When she opened her eyes she saw her dad looking up at her, his eyes red from crying. Sam swallowed again, her lip quavering as she asked, "She's gone isn't she?"  
  
  
  
Max sat at the table across from Logan, her head rested on her arms, "Logan," she cried, "What am I going to do? I know I can't take her back home because she will just run again, but we can't stay here. And you can't leave. This wasn't supposed to be like this, I'm so tired of running, I wish we could just stay here and you and me and Sam could all live happily ever after but..I mean we can't." her voice broke as she began sobbing.  
  
Logan stood and walked behind Max pulling her into his arms letting her cry into his chest, "Max I know, I know." He comforted, "I don't know what to do either. I wish you both could stay too but your right, you can't stay here. And I can't take care of a twelve-year-old girl by myself. But God do I ever want you both to stay."  
  
Max sobbed even harder, why couldn't' her life for once just be normal. Why did all this shit have to come up and ruin everything. As she stood crying into his chest her mind came to a conclusion and finally she composed herself enough to speak, "I love you both so much, but I know what I have to do. I don't' want to hurt either of you again, but I will, I always end up hurting the ones I love. Logan, I love you, and I'll never forget you. Please take care of her for me, and tell her I love her." At that, Max let go of Logan and headed for the door.  
  
"Max wait," Logan pleaded knowing what she was going to do. "Max, please, don't go, I love you, Sam loves you. Don't just leave us here. I don't' know how to take care of a child."  
  
Max turned and put her hand up tears still streaming down her face, "Don't worry, you'll figure it out. Sam is a good kid, you'll both be happy together. I'll send her stuff here when I get a chance, but don't bother looking for me."  
  
Logan grabbed Max's arm, "No," he began tears falling form his eyes, "Max, you can't leave me again. We can work this out. Max, please."  
  
Max walked to him and kissed him putting her arms around his neck. Logan in turn wrapped his arms around her waist. The kiss held so much love and passion, so much of everything. Max deepened the kiss, wanting to memorize the feel and shape of Logan's mouth. She knew this was going to be the last kiss they would share for a long time, and she wanted to savor it. She ran her tongue over his lips and gently parted them meeting his tongue with hers she gripped his neck tighter exploring his mouth one last time before she broke the kiss,  
  
"I love you Logan, always remember that." She said letting go of him and walking out the door.  
  
Logan stood mesmerized tears falling from his face. He sank to the nearby couch and slumped over putting his head in his hands and continuing to cry. He sat for god knows how long wishing that Max would walk back through the doors and everything would be alright. When he looked up Sam was standing in the hallways her eyes red with tears, "She's gone isn't she?" she asked her voice wavering.  
  
Logan nodded his head, his eyes equally red, "Yeah Sam, she is."  
  
Sam walked to Logan and sat next to him. Logan put his arm around her and sighed. Sam looked at Logan and tears began to fall again, "Why does this have to happen? Why couldn't' it all work out?"  
  
Logan shrugged trying to keep his composure for his daughter, "It's for the best," he said trying to convince himself as much as Sam, "It's the only way we can be together."  
  
Sam cuddled up to him, "I hate this. I finally get you and now she's gone. Why can't you both be here?" she cried.  
  
Logan closed his eyes, pushing back the tears that threatened to fall, "Life isn't fair, but we have to cope with it."  
  
Sam said nothing in response but threw her arms around Logan and began to cry now for her mother, in his arms. Logan reached and pulled her into his lap, "I know Sam, I know. But she said she loves us both, and I know she'll come back one day."  
  
Sam nodded and continued to cry in his arms until she had no more tears to cry, "This is all my fault, if I hadn't run away, if I would have just waited." She hung her head in shame.  
  
Logan lifted her chin with his finger, "No Sam, this is not your fault, and don't even try to blame yourself. Max mad her own decisions."  
  
Sam sighed, "I know, but still, why? She didn't' want to hurt anybody else, but look at what she's done?"  
  
Logan pulled her closer to him, "She's put you and me together so we can be a family."  
  
Sam's chin began to tremble, "We'll never really be a family unless it's all three of us."  
  
"I know, but for now this is all we've got." Logan responded  
  
  
  
Sam walked into the penthouse that had now been her home for four years. She had gone out for a run before the day officially started to clear her head. Today was her sixteenth birthday and her fourth birthday without her mother. Sam shook her head pushing the tears that always threatened to fall when she thought of her mother. When she walked off the elevator and into the penthouse could hear someone rummaging around the kitchen. Assuming it was her father she walked to her room. As she opened her door she called out, "Dad, I'm back."  
  
"Ok Sweet heart, I'm in the kitchen." He responded.  
  
"I'll be there in a minute after I shower." Sam announced.  
  
"Ok, whenever." Logan answered.  
  
Sam smiled, as much as it hurt that her mother left her alone with him she thanked God for it almost every day. He was so loving towards her. He acted as if there had never been a thirteen year void in both of their lives, of course not with out making up for it with all the stuff she was constantly being spoiled with. Sam walked to her closet and grabbed her favorite outfit, a pair of baggy blue jeans and her green hooded sweatshirt. Quickly she took a shower and got dressed. She walked into the kitchen to find her dad stirring some eggs and went over to hug her dad, "Morning Daddy, how'd you sleep?"  
  
Logan smiled and hugged her back, "Fine, and you?"  
  
"It was ok, i had the dream again." She said.  
  
Logan stopped stirring the eggs and put his full attention on her, "Really? What is this the second time this week?"  
  
Sam nodded, "and the fourth time this month. I really miss her dad. I guess it's just my heart yearning for her to come back."  
  
Logan nodded, "I miss her too, it doesn't get any easier does it?"  
  
Sam shook her head, "No. Ok, so enough of this depressing shi...uh i mean stuff. So what's for breakfast?"  
  
Logan stared at her disapprovingly, "Nice catch, sausage and eggs, and maybe a bagel if your good."  
  
Sam's blushed hoping he hadn't caught her almost slip, "Sorry, I know I know, a lady shouldn't talk like that. It's not proper and all that junk."  
  
  
  
Logan stood at the oven stirring the eggs when he heard the door open. His heart stopped, silently hoping that it might just be Max. Logan listened intently as he heard someone walk to the guest room.  
  
"Dad, I'm back." he heard his daughter Sam call out.  
  
Logan sighed, he needed to stop this, it'd been four years already. "Ok Sweet heart, I'm in the kitchen." He responded.  
  
"I'll be there in a minute, after I shower." Sam announced.  
  
"Ok, whenever." Logan answered going back to stirring the eggs. Today was her sixteenth birthday and he was determined to make it a good one. It'd been four years since either of them had heard or seen Max. He had hope, just as he had for each of Sam's previous birthdays that just maybe Max would show. He knew she was coming back, he just didn't know when. A few minutes later Sam entered and gave him a hug, "Morning Daddy, how'd you sleep?" she greeted.  
  
Logan smiled, she had grown so much in the four years she'd been here. Her girly figure was now replaced by the woman's she was becoming, "Fine, and you?"  
  
"It was ok, i had the dream again." She answered.  
  
Logan stopped stirring the eggs and put his full attention on her, this wasn't the first time they'd dealt with this. Each year around her birthday Sam had the same dream almost every night. A dream similar to the one she had the first night she'd stayed here, but in this dream it was her mom that ignored her, not her dad. "Really? What is this the second time this week?"  
  
Sam nodded, her eyes darkening with emotion, "And the fourth time this month. I really miss her dad. I guess it's just my heart yearning for her to come back."  
  
Logan nodded, he understood more than she would ever know, "I miss her too, it doesn't get any easier does it?"  
  
Sam shook her head, "No...Ok, so enough of this depressing shi...uh I mean stuff. So what's for breakfast?"  
  
Logan stared at her disapprovingly, "Nice catch, sausage and eggs and maybe a bagel if your good."  
  
Sam's blushed hoping he hadn't caught her almost slip, "Sorry, I know I know, a lady shouldn't talk like that. It's not proper and all that junk."  
  
Logan sighed, they'd had this conversation hundreds of times, and it always amazed him how his daughter was such a tomboy. Thankfully because of that he hadn't had to deal with boys yet, but he was sure they were coming. He sighed, "Sam..." he said warningly.  
  
Sam looked at him innocently, "What?"  
  
Logan rolled his eyes, "Give it a rest today huh?"  
  
Sam rolled her eyes in return and sighed, "Daddy, it's not a big deal if I'm not miss proper. Mom wasn't, I don't have to be either."  
  
Logan winced, he'd heard this argument before, "Yes, but your mother had tact along with her attitude."  
  
Sam looked her father in the eyes, "Maybe if she'd stayed some of it might've rubbed off on me."  
  
Logan dropped the spatula he'd been using and placed his hands on the edge of the oven, "Samantha don't start with that. Come on it's your birthday, let's make it a good one."  
  
Sam sighed again, "Fine, lets just eat."  
  
Logan closed his eyes trying to regain his composure, "Fine." he said.  
  
  
  
A/N: I know, I know it ends rather abruptly but i ran out of steam! Don't worry there's more stuff coming, but if you review i promise it will be out sooner than later. Listen to me begging for reviews, how pathetic am I? But if i'm pathetic and a good writer though I think I might be able to cope! HINT HINT. 


	4. Can the Music Return?

Disclaimer: I don't' own em, blah blah blah blah...you get the picture.  
  
A/N: Ok, so here's number four! Thank you so much to everyone who has reviewed! You keep the reviews coming and I'll keep my stuff coming. (that means if you've reviewed once DO IT AGAIN! Come on it takes what all of two minutes? I think I deserve two minutes of your time!) Ok, so anyways enough with my shameless review begging. As always thanks you Amanda for editing this, well the first part. And to all the readers if there are typos I'm sorry, I'm horrible at proof reading/editing my own stuff, but I did try to get them all. =) Ima stop yapping now and let you continue with "The Music" Series.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
A few hours later Logan and Sam were sitting on the couch watching one of Sam's all time favorite moves, Star Wars The Emperor Strikes Back. The two were snuggled together, Logan with his arm around his daughter and Sam resting her head in the crook of his arm. Sam loved being close to her father, mostly to make up for the time they hadn't been together, but also because it was a warm safe loving place. If anything bad ever happened she always had her fathers arms to fall into to pick her up again.  
  
As the movie ended Sam stood up and stretched, "God I love that movie. I mean it's so cool. I mean how great is it that like over fifty years ago people came up with that junk?"  
  
Logan chuckled, "You think those are good, you should watch the rest of them."  
  
"Oh yeah dad, where am I going to get those? I don't think they're even around anymore." Sam contradicted.  
  
Logan shrugged and smiled, "Yeah, your right."  
  
Sam eyes narrowed, as she looked at her father, "No way! You didn't!"  
  
Logan stood and walked to his room, exiting a moment later with a bag in hand. "I couldn't find any wrapping or anything, but happy birthday sweetheart."  
  
Sam took the bag and opened it, "Oh my god!" she screamed taking the first and third movies of the Star Wars trilogy out. "Where on earth did you find these? I thought they were obsolete or some crap."  
  
Logan shrugged mysteriously, "I have my sources."  
  
Sam rolled her eyes, "Ok sure dad. So you got anything else in there for me?" Sam asked.  
  
"Some body's a little eager to get stuff isn't' she?" Logan toyed.  
  
Sam shrugged nonchalantly, "No, I mean, come on. What's the point in waiting till later when I'm ready now?"  
  
Logan shook his head at her and walked back to his room, emerging a moment later with something behind his back. Sam tried to get a peak at what it was but Logan shushed her, "Hey, you'll see it in a minute, let me speak first."  
  
Sam flopped down onto the couch and motioned with her hand for him to continue, "Fine."  
  
Logan cleared his throat, "Well about a week ago I receive a package in the mail. I wasn't sure what to make of it because, well you'll figure that out in a minute. I don't' know what it means, but I have an idea. So Samantha Richelle Guevera Cale, I present you with your gift. With that he pulled a leather jacket out from behind his back. But this was no ordinary leather jacket, this was Max's leather jacket.  
  
When Sam saw the jacket her eyes widened and she stood, "Is that, is that what I think it is?"  
  
Logan nodded slowly, "Yeah, it is."  
  
Sam looked at her father questionably, "Where did you? You got it in the mail?" she fumbled as she reached for the jacket.  
  
Logan shrugged, "Yeah, I was fixing lunch about a week ago when the door rang. It was a messenger from Jampony and he handed me the package. I figured it was just for Eyes Only so I didn't open it till later when I was at my computer."  
  
Sam rubbed the soft leather with her hand, "Do you think it means that maybe?"  
  
Logan placed his hand on Sam's shoulder, "I don't know. It could it could not. To be honest it's still kind of a shock."  
  
Sam nodded, "Yeah, no kidding."  
  
Logan grabbed the jacket from Sam and opened it, "Well come on, put it on."  
  
Sam looked at the jacket warily for a moment and then cautiously slipped into it, "This is too weird." She mumbled turning to face her father.  
  
Logan's eyes sparkled and leaned to kiss her on the forehead, "You look stunning in it."  
  
"Dad." Sam shifted uncomfortably and put her hands into the pockets and then froze,  
  
"Sam?" Logan asked as he felt her tense.  
  
Sam pulled her left hand out of the pocket with a note in hand. Her hand trembled as she held it up for her father to see, "W.wha.what is this?" Sam whispered.  
  
Logan took the note from Sam's hand and shrugged, "I don't' know. I never saw it."  
  
Sam looked at her father in the eyes, "You open it, no I'll open it. No." Sam grabbed the note from Logan's hand and pulled it open. Her heart stopped as she read it.  
  
Sam,  
  
It's your sixteenth birthday today and I wish I could be there to see your face when you put this on. I love you and miss you so much baby. I think of you everyday. I love you so much.  
  
Mom  
  
Sam looked up from the note, "You swear you didn't write this?"  
  
Logan pulled the note from his daughter's hands and read it. As he read it his face paled. When he finished he looked at Sam and shook his head. "I swear I had no idea."  
  
Sam swallowed, "Right."  
  
Logan shook his head speechless. Sam stared him in they eyes, trying to figure out if he was lying or not. It didn't seem like he would forge a note for her birthday, but it didn't seem real that her mom had left something for them to find. Sam grabbed the note back from her father and read it again, and then again, and again. Finally she looked up, crumpled the note up, and threw it on the ground. Logan stared open mouthed at his daughter's actions and knelt to pick up the note, "Sam, what are you."  
  
"NO," she yelled throwing off the jacket, "I don't want this. I don't want her jacket. I don't' want anything from her. She left us, no she left me. How can she say she loves me?"  
  
Logan stood at her words, "Samantha, don't you dare say your mother didn't' love you. She gave up her life for you, she left to keep us, to keep you, safe. How can you say that isn't love?"  
  
Sam stared at her father defiantly, "How can you defend her. Dad she left us, she fucking left us! She doesn't love us, she doesn't even care. How can she say she does when she doesn't show it? What the hell kind of love is she talking about?"  
  
"Samantha Richelle, there is absolutely no need or use for that kind of language here.and how dare you say that your mother doesn't love you. By giving you up for your safety, that doesn't scream that she loves you?" Logan argued.  
  
Sam glared at her father, "God, I hate her for leaving, and I hate you for not even looking for her. You just let her leave, why didn't you run after her, why the hell didn't you do something? Anything?" Sam was all out yelling now, anger gripping her whole body.  
  
"Hey," Logan responded his voice rising, "I asked her to stay, I pleaded for her to stay. Do you think I wanted to see you get hurt? She told me not to look for her but I did. You may not have known it but I did. And I never found anything Sam. She lost herself, she didn't want to be found. There's no way I can stop that."  
  
"God, this is the worst birthday ever." Sam stated throwing her hands up in anger, "I hate this, I'm so done with this. You wanna just give up on her fine, do it. Stop looking, just let her go. Screw the fact that she has a daughter right, I mean flesh and blood don't mean shit around her anyways."  
  
Logan opened his mouth to dispute this but Sam cut him off, "No, I don't' want to hear it. I don't' care, I'm leaving. And don't look for me. That's what she said right? Well I'm saying the same goddamn thing." With that Sam stormed out of the penthouse and slammed the door behind her. Tears began streaming from her eyes and she squeezed them shut leaning back against the door. This was so unfair. Where the hell did her mother get off telling her that she loved her when she had abandoned her? What a shitty kind of love she showed. Sam was still reaming in her mind when she heard a voice say her name. Sam opened her eyes when she heard her name again, "Oh my god." She whispered when she saw her mother standing there.  
  
Max smiled and walked towards her daughter, "Happy Birthday Sam." Sam glared at her mom, evading the hug she tried to give her. Max frowned, "Sam?"  
  
"Get away from me." Sam growled. "Away from me and out of my way." Sam continued pushing her mother out of the way and walking for the stairs.  
  
Max turned, "Sam, stop, wait, Sam!"  
  
Sam pushed the door to the stairs open but then stopped and turned and her mother's pleadings, "What?" She snapped. When Max said nothing more and just stood there Sam rolled her eyes and flipped her off, "Stay the fuck away from me." With that she walked through the door and down the stairs. She didn't know where she was going, and she didn't care. She just wanted to get the hell away from her dad, and now her mom.  
  
Sam ran down the stairs, tears falling left and right. Where the hell does her mom get off just showing up like that? She bails for four fucking years and then she just decides to show the hell up? What's that all about? Sam exited the stairwell, the anger in her subsiding with each step she took away from home. Home? Who was she kidding? She didn't have a home, twelve years in Ohio and four in Washington? She had no permanent residency. Sam wiped her tears away telling herself to get a hold of herself. As Sam walked out of Fogle Towers she stopped, where was she even going? Right now it didn't really matter to her, as long as it was away from here. At that Sam began walking down the streets of Seattle trying to sort out all the whacked out emotions coursing through her body.  
  
  
  
  
  
Max walked towards Fogle Towers. She couldn't' believe she was doing this. It'd been four years since she'd spoken to either her daughter or Logan. And after wandering the country some more she had finally decided that four years was long enough to come back. Although, as she walked into Fogle Towers her mind was telling her other wise. Max shifted nervously while waiting for the elevator. She tried to put together what she would say and what would happen but her heart, pounding out of her chest with trepidation, kept distracting her. There were so many possibilities as to how this would play out, and from prior experience a warm welcome was not in her favor. Max took a deep breath as she entered the elevator and pushed the PH button.  
  
Over the four years that she'd been gone she'd kept trying to come back but each time she tried she would convince herself that it would only bring forth more pain and suffering to the two people she loved the most. She knew Logan had been taking care of Sam well, although she'd never actually made her presence known about the times when she would convince herself to return she usually checked up on how the two were doing. It was so hard to stop herself from showing her face to them but the fear had always convinced her otherwise. She thought of both of them everyday hoping and dreaming that one day she would be able to return to them and they could be a family.  
  
The elevator doors opened and just thirty feet away was the door that would lead her to her loved ones. Pushing the fear down she walked out of the elevator and approached the door, excitement beginning to bubble as she became closer and closer to Sam and Logan. She could picture Sam in the leather jacket she had sent to her for her birthday. Oh how she wished she could see her face when she'd found the note she's left in there. She closed her eyes trying to get a more vivid picture of the scene. Max smiled at the vision in her head but then she tensed as she heard Sam's muffled voice. It was too muffled to make out the words but it was growing closer to the door. Max froze as the door flung open and Sam stepped out into the hall leaning back against the door, her eyes closed with tears streaming down her face. Max's heart broke for her daughter and she moved closer and quietly whispered, "Sam."  
  
Getting no response she whispered it again, this time Sam's eyes opening and then landing on her mother. Sam looked shocked and she whispered, "Oh my god."  
  
Max smiled and walked towards her daughter thinking all was well, "Happy Birthday Sam." She said reaching out to hug her only to be evaded by her daughter. Max looked at Sam. Her eyes had now turn cold as ice and glared at her anger slowly spreading across her face,  
  
Max's brow furrowed in confusion, "Sam?"  
  
Sam seemed to grimace at her name but then composed herself and growled, "Get away from me."  
  
Max's eyes widened and she shook her head, tears beginning to spring to her eyes. "Away from me and out of my way." Sam continued pushing her mother out of the way and walking for the stairs.  
  
Max turned to try and stop her by pleading, "Sam, stop, wait, Sam!"  
  
Sam pushed the door to the stairs open but then stopped and turned and her mother's pleadings, "What?" She snapped.  
  
Max said nothing. Her mind had gone blank. She hadn't expected to be greeted by such coldness. Sam rolled her eyes when no response came and then flipped her off, "Stay the fuck away from me." She stated bitterly as she walked through the door and down the stairs.  
  
Max stood in stupor. What had happened to her warm loving Sam? Had four years with out her changed her so much? Had her heart turned from being full of love to being full of spite after all this time? Max hung her head in shame as the realization of just how much pain and hurt her leaving really left. She held back the tears that threatened to fall though. She had to remain composed, may it be for Logan or solely for her comfort. Numbly she turned the door handle and entered the penthouse. She glanced around as she entered, not much had changed except for a few randomly placed photographs of Sam at different stages of her life. Max saddened as she thought of all the things she'd missed over the last four years: Sam's first crush, her first kiss, her first year as a teenager, her first period. Max smiled as she wondered how Logan had dealt with that one but then quickly wiped the smile from her face as she remembered Sam's cold eyes. Her eyes had seemed to deepen in their blue color over the years making the cold stare even more penetrating and ice like.  
  
Max shivered at the thought but then shook it off. She walked deeper into the penthouse scanning the room for Logan. When she saw him her heart melted. He sat on the couch, his head in his hands. Max opened her mouth to speak but Logan lifted his hand, "No, I don't want to hear it. I don't' care what you say, your mother loves you. But I don't want to argue about his anymore Sam. Let's just continue on with your birthday, ok?" As he finished his last sentence he raised his head and his mouth dropped open at the sight of Max.  
  
Max smiled weakly, "Sam left, sorry. Guess you're stuck with me." She joked nervously.  
  
Logan closed his eyes and leaned back on the couch rubbing his face with his hands. He gave a deep sigh as he looked at Max again. Max went to sit on the couch but as she sat down Logan stood up, walked away from her and into the computer room, closing the door and leaving her alone. Max took Logan's prior position, head in her hands this time allowing the tears to flow. This was all her fault.  
  
  
  
  
  
Logan stood in the middle of the living room his mind blank. He had always feared that one day Sam might say he hated her, and now she had. Not only had she just announced that though, but she had stormed out right after too. Logan sighed, he hadn't wanted to get into any arguments today. Especially with it being her birthday. He had vowed that he wouldn't argue with her, but when he heard Sam saying that her own mother didn't' love her he had lost it. He didn't' understand how Sam could think such a thing. They had been doing great, or so he'd thought. She'd never told him that she thought her mother didn't lover her. This caused him to wonder about other things that she hadn't told him. Logan sighed again and flopped down on the couch. They had been doing fine a few minutes ago, why had that had to change? This was her sweet sixteen, this was supposed to be her perfect day. He had thought that the jacket would bring her such joy. He mentally kicked himself for not realizing all the hurt it might have caused. But how could he have known?  
  
Logan took off his glasses and slumped forward resting his head in his hands massaging his temples. He had not been prepared for anything that had escaped Sam's lips. He knew she had a fiery attitude but this was beyond his comprehension. he had never heard her speak in such a manor as she had today. Sure she had been mouthy in the past but nothing compared to a few minutes ago. The pent up anger that had spilled out of her today blew him away. How could he know his own daughter so little?  
  
After berating himself for a while longer he heard the door open. He sighed trying to think of something to say to her. She had come back, this was good, and he didn't want to start arguing again. He heard her approach and before she could say anything he raised his hand and stated, "No, I don't want to hear it. I don't' care what you say, your mother loves you. But I don't want to argue about his anymore Sam. Let's just continue on with your birthday, ok?" When he finished he raised his head. His eyes widened and his mouth fell open in shock at the sight of Max where he was sure Sam had been standing. Millions of different emotions streamed through his body at the sight of her.  
  
Max smiled and nervously said, "Sam left, sorry. Guess you're stuck with me."  
  
Logan closed his eyes and leaned back on the couch rubbing his face with his hands trying to figure out what exactly he was feeling. He gave a deep sigh as he looked at Max again. He had no clue. He was not prepared for this. His daughter and he had just got into a fight over this woman and he was not capable of facing her right now. As Max neared him and sat on the couch he did the only thing his mind could think of. He stood up and walked away from her to the computer room, closing the door behind him.  
  
As the door closed he let out a deep breath. Life was sure throwing him some curves today. He couldn't' handle his sixteen year old daughter let alone the woman that had been in and out of his life for going on seventeen years. At the mere sight of her his heart had been filled with joy and love but soon his emotions went haywire on him and he wasn't sure what to think or feel. Walking to his computer desk he lowered himself into his computer chair, unsure of what to do, what to think, or what was to come next.  
  
  
  
  
  
A/N: Until next time that's all folks. As said in the previous A/N you review, and I'll post that's the deal. I swear that's all that keeps me going, well that and Amanda and Autumn's incessant bugging about what's going to happen next. For those of you who've asked about OC and the gang. No worries, they'll be in here sometime soon, I think. Nothing is set in stone till it's posted, and even then I might change things, just cause I can. Thanks for reading all this stuff! LEAVE A REVIEW PLEASE! =P 


	5. Running from the Music

Disclaimer: Ok, I still don't' own DA, but we're negotiating so maybe by the next chapter. ~shrugs~ don't own em, just enjoy messing with em.  
  
A/N: For all the OC requests I now present you with Chapter five.  
  
  
  
Sam stood before a door. She wasn't sure how she'd ended up here but the fact was that she was there. She had been wandering around Seattle for almost an hour when she finally stopped. When she looked around she was surprised that she'd come so far. Sam sighed and knocked on the door. She heard someone moving around inside and thanked god some one was there. Moments later the door opened.  
  
"Hey suga, what's going on?" Original Cindy asked a little baffled as to why she was here.  
  
Sam shrugged, I needed to get out of ht house."  
  
Cindy frowned, "Oh so you just decided to walk to Original Cindy's dive? And isn't it your birthday today, what are you doing here?"  
  
Sam looked over Cindy's shoulder, "Uh, can I come in?"  
  
Original Cindy stepped back and let Sam come in, "Sure little boo, if you tell me what's got you so down on the day of your birth."  
  
Sam looked at Cindy and sighed, "Dad and me got into a fight.again."  
  
Cindy nodded, "I figured. What was it about this time?"  
  
Sam sat down on a couch and put her head in her hands, "Mom." She sighed.  
  
Cindy sat next to her and put her arm around the girls shoulders, "You aiight?"  
  
Sam shook her head, "No."  
  
Cindy hugged Sam, "It's ok girl, just tell Original Cindy what's shaking?"  
  
Sam smiled at the love she received from Cindy. She'd always been there for her as a second mother after her mom left. Sam hugged her back as she remembered the first time she'd ever met Cindy.  
  
  
  
~*~  
  
  
  
Sam and Logan sat across from each other at the kitchen table. They had just finished breakfast and were now discussing if Sam wanted to enroll in school or try being home schooled. They decided on trying the home schooling after discussing it for what Sam felt like was an eternity. It hadn't been a good morning for her. Her stomach hurt, and it had since she woke up. When the conversation was officially over Sam excused herself to the bathroom. What she discovered made her face pale. She'd started her period. Sam put her head in her hands, 'how am I supposed to tell dad?" she thought. Sam sighed and went to approach her dad.  
  
She walked up to him and cleared her throat, "Uh, dad, I uh.I think I."  
  
Logan looked up as Sam stammered on, "What?" he interrupted her, "What's wrong? You ok?"  
  
Sam blushed, this was not easy, "I think I, uh." Sam closed her eyes and finally just said it, "Dad, I think I started my period." Slowly Sam opened her eyes, one eye at a time.  
  
Logan sat slightly phased, what was he supposed to do? Nervously he wet his lips, "Uh, well, ok."  
  
Sam shifted uncomfortably, "Yeah."  
  
Suddenly Logan's eyes brightened and he stood, "Hold on a minute."  
  
Sam watched him go into the computer room unsure if she should follow him or not. Deciding on staying she waited. A few minutes later he returned with a smile on his face, "Don't worry, help is on the way."  
  
Sam frowned, "What?" she asked.  
  
Logan moved around the kitchen and began heating water, "Want some hot cocoa?"  
  
Sam shrugged, "Sure I guess, but what kind of help?" she asked again.  
  
Logan smiled, "An old friend, and I think you'll really like her. She and your mom were the best of friends before she." Logan stopped, this wasn't the time to bring up old memories.  
  
Sam cocked her head to the side, "Before she?"  
  
Logan swallowed, "Left."  
  
Sam nodded, "And how is she going to help me? I don't even know her."  
  
Logan shrugged, "I dunno Sam, but she is a woman. She must know something about this stuff."  
  
Sam sat on a stool placing her arms on the counter and then resting her head on her arms, "Sure."  
  
Logan poured the water into the cocoa powder he'd had stored away. He laid a comforting hand on her head, "Here," he said, "She said to give you something hot to drink."  
  
Sam smiled weakly, "Thanks dad."  
  
Logan put a comforting arm around her, "You doing ok?"  
  
Sam shrugged, "I guess. I mean its not like I really know or anything."  
  
Logan smiled and then sobered, "Oh no."  
  
Sam looked up at him, "What?"  
  
Logan gulped, "I think I might have forgot to mention why I needed Cindy's help."  
  
Sam frowned, "What?"  
  
Logan sighed, "She doesn't know you're mine and Max's daughter. She doesn't' even know you're my daughter, or even that you exist for that matter. I just told her that there was a situation I really needed her help with."  
  
Sam groaned, "this isn't going to be another sappy reunion type thing is it? Cause I've had my fill of that for the year."  
  
Logan rubbed Sam's back, "Me too, Sam, me too." Logan sighed, "Well do you wanna do something while we wait for her to show up?"  
  
Sam sat up, "Sure, what do you have in mind?"  
  
Logan thought a moment, "You know how to play chess?"  
  
Sam nodded her head, "Yeah, me and mom would play it every once in a while."  
  
Logan smiled, "Yeah, we used to do that too. She always beat me though."  
  
Sam smiled, "Me too once I told he to stop letting me win."  
  
"Yeah." Logan said going to grab the chessboard, "Here we go." he said when he returned and began setting up the game.  
  
Sam took a sip of her hot cocoa, "oh my god!" she exclaimed.  
  
Logan looked up, "What?"  
  
Sam looked at the hot cocoa and then to her dad, "This stuff is great! I mean I've had it hot chocolate before but this stuff is.wow."  
  
Logan smiled, "Good, Cale family recipe." He winked.  
  
Sam smiled and the two began their game.  
  
Fifteen minutes later Logan frowned, "I guess you have been playing with your mom a lot. She's the only person that's ever beat me, until you that is."  
  
Sam smiled, "Yeah I was to the point where I could get her on the run, but then she'd always get out of it and I'd end up in check mate. But still I had her on the run for a while."  
  
Logan smiled and was about to say something when there was a knock at the door. Logan and Sam looked at each other and Logan rose to answer the door while Sam stayed at the counter. As the door opened Sam heard a loud voice, "Ok money bags, what's the dealio? You called Original Cindy away from napping with her boo, so this better be damn good boy."  
  
Logan smiled, "Hi Cindy, I uh, here just come with me." Sam heard him respond.  
  
Sam stood as Logan guided the woman into the kitchen. Sam swallowed and prepared herself for the emotion she was sure would occur when the woman saw her. Sure she looked a lot like her father but she had her mothers figure, hair, and tan skin. She was sure that the woman would freak but when Sam saw who it was it was her that stood wide eyed in shock. It was the woman from one of the pictures she'd seen. She'd always wondered about her, now she knew.  
  
"Boy, you best get your hands off of me before I smack you!" Sam heard as Logan finally pulled the woman closer.  
  
Logan smiled, "Cindy I'd like you to mean Sam, my daughter."  
  
"Fool I told you let go of me...say what? Your daughter?" Cindy stammered.  
  
Logan smiled, "Yeah, Sam I'd like you to meet an old friend of your mom's. This is Cindy."  
  
Sam smiled as everything registered in Cindy's brain, "Hi." She meekly said.  
  
Cindy put her hand over her heart, "Oh dear lord, you weren't fooling were you?" Cindy looked from Logan to Sam, "Damn, Original Cindy needs to sit down." She said leaning back to have Logan catch her and guide her to a chair.  
  
"Sorry Cindy," Logan said apologetically, "I forgot to mention Sam on the phone."  
  
Cindy looked at him and then at Sam again, then her eyes widened, "So does that mean my home girls here too?"  
  
Logan looked at Sam and then shook his head, "No, she's gone."  
  
Cindy frowned, "What? Then where did she come from?" Cindy asked lifting a shaking finger to point at Sam.  
  
Logan put his hand on Sam's shoulder, "Sam came to me about a month ago. Been living with me ever since, but that's not the reason you're here. We, well no, she needs your help."  
  
Cindy looked at Sam, "Why?"  
  
Logan shrugged, "You know I think I'll let her tell you that." He said before he looked down at Sam and said, "You want me to stay for this?"  
  
Sam looked up at him and squeezed his hand, "No, you can go. Thanks dad."  
  
Logan nodded and kissed her on the head, "You two have fun." He said walking to his computer room.  
  
Sam took a seat across the counter from Cindy, "I know it's a lot to handle. Whenever you're over the perpetual shock just let me know." She said.  
  
Cindy shook her head, "Woah there suga, break it down for a girl. Not a time to be using big words when one's trippin;"  
  
Sam chuckled, "Sorry, just let me know when the shock of all this crap is gone and I'll tell you what I need."  
  
Cindy nodded her head, "No it's a'ight, I'm ok. What you need little boo?"  
  
Sam frowned in confusion at the nickname but then shook her head, "I uh, God I thought this was hard to tell my dad, now a complete stranger."  
  
Cindy cocked her head to the side, "Say what?"  
  
Sam just waved her hand in disregard, "It's just that, well I think I started my period today." Sam said deciding not to beat around the bush.  
  
"For real?" Cindy asked, "How old are you?"  
  
Sam sat up straight, "Twelve. Why how old are you?" she asked in retaliation.  
  
Cindy smiled, "Calm down girlie girl. Original Cindy is jus tryin to sort all this stuff out."  
  
Sam relaxed, "Ok, so what do I do?"  
  
Cindy thought for a moment, "Well you got the stuff you need to handle this bitch?"  
  
Sam smiled at Cindy's comment and shook her head, "I don't have anything. And I doubt if dad does either."  
  
Cindy closed her eyes for second, "It is trippin Original Cindy out to hear you calling Logan 'dad'."  
  
Sam got up to get Cindy a glass of water, "Sorry." She said.  
  
"No it's cool." Cindy replied gratefully taking the glass of water, "Well, I guess we better get you situated with what you need."  
  
Sam nodded, "Ok, so what do I need?"  
  
Cindy smiled, "Hold up a sec suga." She said as she walked to the computer room. When she opened the door there stood Logan not a foot from it. She glanced at him and he smiled guiltily. Cindy just rolled her eyes, "Gonna need some moola for some stuff..dad."  
  
Logan handed Cindy some money, "No problem, take all the time you need. I'll be here."  
  
Cindy smiled and gladly took the money, "Aiight, us girls 'll be back lata then. Come on little boo, let's roll."  
  
Sam smiled and nodded, "Ok, lead the way."  
  
"'k, later money bags." Cindy said to Logan.  
  
Logan rolled his eyes, "See you guys later."  
  
Sam looked back at him, "Bye dad, Love you."  
  
Logan smiled, "I love you too Sam, have fun."  
  
Cindy laughed, "Logan, don't talk about what you don't know about."  
  
Logan only shrugged and walked back to his computer room mumbling something about women.  
  
  
  
~*~  
  
  
  
Sam smiled again thinking about all they had done that day. They found what she needed real quick but then spent hours shopping. Sam had instantly liked Cindy. Just something about her was comfortable. Possibly it was the sole fact that she had been her mom's best friend. As Sam sat still thinking Cindy waved a hand in front of her face, "Hey, little boo, you with me?"  
  
Sam shook her head and smiled, "Sorry, was just thinking about how we met."  
  
Cindy smiled, "Yeah, good times, but today isn't, come on girl, tell Original Cindy what's up?"  
  
Sam took a deep breath, "Well it was all ok, but then dad brought me this gift that had been delivered about a week ago. Mom sent me her leather jacket for my birthday." Cindy's eyes widened, "I know that's what I thought too." Sam continued. "I mean I remember her wearing that jacket all the time in Ohio. She loved that thing. When dad pulled it from behind his back I was so excited. Then when I tried it on my heart started beating real hard, I mean who knows when my mom wore it last. It could've been just last week, but then I reached my hands into the pockets and there was a note inside. Cindy it was from mom." Tears began to well up in Sam's eyes and Cindy comforted her by giving her hand a squeeze. "It said that she loved me and missed me and thought of me every day and then I, I got really mad. How could she say that when she just up and left? It didn't' make sense and so I crumpled the note up and threw it to the ground. Dad then knelt to pick it up and we got in this huge fight, and finally I just walked out on him. But then there was." Sam's voice broke as she began to cry.  
  
Cindy hugged Sam to her, "Sam, it's ok, gotta just let it all pour out."  
  
Sam shook here head and pushed back, No, Cindy you don't get it. Right outside the door was my mom. She was standing there, but I was so mad I told her to get away from me. I pushed her out of my way and walked to stairs. I was so mad that I didn't think, but then she called my name so I turned around, but she didn't' say anything, so I.I flipped her off and told her to stay the fuck away from me. Oh God Cindy, What am I going to do?"  
  
Cindy grabbed Sam's hand, "Suga, it's ok. You were mad, people always say things they don't' mean when they're mad."  
  
Sam shook her head, "But Cindy I meant what I said. I don't want her to be around me if she's just gonna take off again. I can't take this one parent thing anymore."  
  
"Sam, honey, you can't run from it though. You gotta face this stuff. Runnin' don't make nothing go away, and that's the honest to god truth."  
  
Sam sat for a moment thinking things over, "Yeah, your right, but it sure would be a whole hell of a lot easier if I didn't' have to go back." Sam said glancing at Cindy.  
  
"No way suga, you can't stay here. You are going back home. In fact Original Cindy is gonna go with you." She said.  
  
Sam groaned, "Oh come on."  
  
Cindy put her hand up to silence her, "Samantha, don't make me lay the smack down on your ass, cause I will if you don't get your behind up offa that couch and call your daddy right now to come and get you."  
  
Sam sighed and stood, "Ok ok. You win, where's the phone?"  
  
Cindy smiled victoriously and handed Sam the phone, "Here ya go."  
  
Sam looked at Cindy, "I hope you know I hate you forever now." She joked.  
  
"I love you too suga." Cindy retorted.  
  
Sam rolled her eyes as she pushed the last button that would connect her to exactly what she was running from.  
  
  
  
  
  
A/N: ok so what do we think? Is it just dragging on or should I really continue? I'm telling you people the more you review the more you'll get out of me. And if you really wanna get me up and going you could even email me ~ katerpillar_03@hotmail.com ~. Hope you all enjoyed. Let me know if you did, or even if you didn't. Thanks for getting this far if you have!  
  
And of course thanks to Amanda for editing my stuff, you guys should all say hi to her, she's really nice, her fan fic's aren't' too bad either, check em out Awluvvbug is her author name. Of course they're nothing compared to mine. ~giggles~, I'm lying they're great! I luv em! Everyone should read em and leave her lots and lost of reviews, right after you read and review mine of course! 


	6. Facing the Music

Disclaimer: Negotiations still in process but the odds are it my favor I think..  
  
  
  
A/N: Ok, so chapter six, it's shorter than the other stuff but hey just be thankful you got anything ok? Lol...nah, I love to write so this is fun for me to see that you guys/gals like my stuff. A BIG SHOUT OT TO SANDY FOR EMAILING ME.YOU ROCK THE WORLD OF ROCKY PEOPLE! And to Amanda, thanks for editing all my junk (if there are typo's its all your fault cause I posted this right after you gave it back to me).teehee. Enjoy!  
  
  
  
  
  
After almost an hour Logan finally emerged from the computer room to find Max curled up in a ball on the couch starting out the window. As much as he was frustrated at the day's sudden turn of events his heart broke for the woman sitting on his couch. She looked so tired and frail, and her eyes held worry and fear. When she saw him enter she tensed unsure of the words that were coming her way.  
  
Logan walked towards, "Hey."  
  
Max nodded, "Hey."  
  
Logan sighed and sat in the char across form her, "So," he began, "What are you doing here?"  
  
Max shifted her gaze from the window to Logan, "Well, I was planning on coming home." Max paused and looked into Logan's eyes, "but now I don't know. I'm done running and I just wanted to come home to make up for all the people I've hurt cause God knows how damaging my actions have been. But Sam hates me and you, well, you didn't' seem to pleased to see me either."  
  
Logan frowned, "What?"  
  
Max smiled, "Logan, I wanna come home."  
  
Logan smiled, "Really?"  
  
Max nodded, "Yeah, I'm so tired of running and it has been seventeen years since anything major has happened."  
  
Logan stood and pulled Max into a hug, "Oh my god, I've waited for you to say those words for so long."  
  
Max hugged him back, it felt so good to be in his arms again. She closed her eyes and was content to just stand in his arms but Logan pulled back, "Wait, what do you mean Sam hates you? Sam doesn't' hate you."  
  
Max sighed and looked down, "Well it sure sounded that way when she saw me."  
  
Logan's eyes widened, "She saw you?"  
  
Max looked up her eyes glistening with tears, "Yeah she did, but then she told me to stay away from her and pushed me out of the way."  
  
"What!?" Logan exclaimed.  
  
Max nodded, "But it gets better cause then I pleaded for her to stay but then she just turned and told me to stay the fuck away from her. Yeah Logan, I'm so sure she doesn't hate me." {she didn't really plead, she didn't say anything, but I trust that you have a reason for Max saying that..}  
  
Logan sighed and sat back down, "Max, Sam does not hate you. She was probably still caught up in the argument she and I had just finished."  
  
"You guys were arguing?" Max asked sitting down next to Logan on the couch.  
  
Logan grabbed her hand, "Yeah, not an uncommon thing these days."  
  
Max frowned, "I guess a lot of things have changed huh?"  
  
Logan nodded slowly. Yeah, I don't know when, but for some reason the last few months Sam has picked up this attitude that is impossible to talk to her with, but I can't really blame her. She's had it rough."  
  
Max hung her head, "And it's my fault. Honestly Logan I don't know why she wouldn't' hate me. Look at all the pain I caused her? I can't imagine that me not saying good bye to her helped the situation."  
  
Logan absentmindedly rubbed his thumb across her hand, "I know, but you did what you thought was best."  
  
"Yeah," Max scoffed, "and ended up having one of the most important people in the world to me hate me."  
  
Logan pulled Max onto his lap, "Max stop. Sam doesn't hate you, she was just caught up in the heat of the moment."  
  
Max relaxed into his arms, "But I don't know that Logan, she sure sounded as though she meant it."  
  
"I know, but don't' worry, she doesn't' hate you." Logan comforted.  
  
Max smiled weakly, "I hope not, speaking of which where did she go?"  
  
Logan shrugged, "You know, I have no idea."  
  
Max's eyes widened, "Logan! You just let her wander the streets of Seattle? What if something happens to her?"  
  
Logan placed a comforting hand on Max's shoulder, "Max calm down. I'm not worried. This isn't the first time we've gotten in a fight and she ended up leaving. She can take care of herself. Plus me going after her only makes her more mad." Max looked at Logan worry still in her eyes, "Max it's ok, it really is. She'll be back, she always comes back."  
  
Max cringed, "Unlike me."  
  
Logan looked up at her, "Max that's not what I meant."  
  
"I fail to understand you Logan Cale." Max said staring into his eyes, "How is it that after four years you are still willing to take me back? Still comforting me, still there for me, I don't' get it."  
  
Logan wrapped his arms around Max and pulled her closer to him, "I told you the night in that elevator that I was willing to accept you and everything that comes with you, that's just as true today as it was then."  
  
"But Logan that was seventeen years ago though, how can you still feel that way?" Max asked confused.  
  
Logan reached up to push a stray hair behind her ear, "Because my love for you will never change, we may change but that will be the one steady factor. I loved you Max, I still love you, nothing will change that."  
  
"Logan," Max said as she raised her hand to stroke his face, "Thank you for that. Thank you for always loving me."  
  
Logan smiled as he leaned in to kiss Max, "Always and forever." He whispered as the final millimeters were closed between them. Their lips had barely touched when Logan's cell rang.  
  
Logan and Max groaned in protest, "Max," Logan said, "I'm sorry, but I have to answer it."  
  
Max smiled and nodded, "It's ok, I'm home now, we've got time."  
  
Logan laced his fingers with hers as he answered the phone, "Hello?"  
  
Sam looked over at Cindy, "You sure you're not coming?" she asked.  
  
Cindy nodded, "You need to figure out what's going on with your family before Original Cindy come intruding in on you.  
  
Sam nodded and then sighed as her dad's car pulled up. "Time to face the music." She said as she looked at Cindy, "You sure I can't just stay here?"  
  
Cindy rolled her eyes, "Girl if you ask me that one more time I swear I'm gonna hurt you. Just get in the damn car suga!"  
  
Sam smiled and shrugged, "Hey a girl's gotta at least try."  
  
"Get in the car!" Cindy said again as she pushed Sam towards the passenger door.  
  
Slowly Sam opened the door, the time she had to spend with her dad after they fought was always awkward and Sam wanted to drag out the time before the awkwardness as much as possible. When the door was opened she looked at her father. He didn't' look too mad, more so relaxed. Sam shrugged it off and got in closing the door and buckling her seat belt for the ride home. She waved to Cindy as the car pulled away.  
  
For the first few moments no one said anything until her dad finally said, "Have a nice walk?"  
  
Sam rolled her eyes, "I'm not playing this game." She said.  
  
Logan looked over at her, "What game?"  
  
Sam sighed, "Oh come on, 'Sam, you have a nice walk?' yeah ok." Sam retorted.  
  
Logan flexed his jaw trying not to get angry, "Ok Sam," he said, "what would you rather have me ask you?"  
  
Sam shrugged, "God, I don't care."  
  
Logan tensed his shoulders trying to keep his cool, "Sam, what's going on?"  
  
Sam looked at her dad innocently, "I don't know what you're talking about."  
  
"Don't pull that shit with me Samantha," Logan said his voice rising.  
  
Sam started at her dad. She'd never heard him swear on purpose before, let alone in front of her, "Nothing, nothing is going on. I'm just having a bad day."  
  
Logan shook his head, "No, that's not it, we were fine this morning, I'm not buying your crap Sam. Come on tell me what's going on." Sam turned her head and stared out the window, "Fine," Logan stopped the car, "You wanna play that way, we'll play that way. Get out."  
  
Sam stared back at her dad "What?"  
  
"Get out." Her dad repeated. "I'm serious Sam, unless you want talk get out and walk."  
  
Sam looked at her dad in shock unsure of what to do. She leaned back in the seat thinking before she finally looked over at him, "Is she going to be there?"  
  
Logan stared into Sam's eyes, "Yes, you mom is going to be waiting for us at home."  
  
Sam stared back at her father for a few seconds, "Why is she back?"  
  
"You can ask her when we get home." Logan answered pulling the car back on to the road.  
  
Sam crossed her arms, "I don't want to ask her, I don't even want to see her."  
  
Logan sighed, "Sam."  
  
"No," Sam cut him off, "I don't. She left me and she's gonna leave again, I can't deal with that dad."  
  
"Sam, you don't know what you're saying." Logan argued.  
  
Sam stared out the window, "Whatever."  
  
Logan sighed as silence loomed in the air again. Finally arriving at Fogle towers, he parked the car and both of them got out.  
  
Logan looked at Sam, "I don't' know what's going on with you Sam but whatever it is I can't believe it's that you hate your mom."  
  
Sam shrugged and looked back at her father, "Let's just get this over with."  
  
Logan nodded as they headed for the elevator. When the elevator came they stepped in and ascended to the penthouse. The doors opened and Sam walked out with her dad right behind her. Sam stared at the door as she walked closer and closer too it. She almost dreaded going in and facing her mom but swallowing her fears she walked in the door.  
  
Sam looked up at her dad as she turned the doorknob and walked in. Sam walked towards her room but stopped when she saw her mother pacing back and forth. Logan cleared his throat, "Hey."  
  
Max stopped pacing and stared at both of them. "Hey." She responded.  
  
Sam sighed and sat down on the couch. She glared at her mother whose gaze followed her, "It was nice of you to drop by." Sam said.  
  
Max shifted her weight and retorted, "Well, I got tired of running."  
  
Sam scoffed, "I'm sure, seventeen years is a long time to be running isn't it?"  
  
Max shrugged, "Yeah it is, but I'm done running now Sam."  
  
Sam stared at her mother in disbelief, "Bull shit."  
  
"Samantha!" Logan stepped forward, "You will not talk like that to your mother."  
  
Sam turned her gaze to her dad and stood, "Oh no?" she pushed.  
  
"No" her father returned sternly.  
  
Sam laughed and put her hand on her forehead, "Wow, you are so right." She said, "What was I thinking? Oh wait I know," she sobered, "I was thinking I don't' want to listen to this shit." Sam stared at her mother once again, "You left me with out even saying goodbye. What the hell was that? And now you just show up four years later and expect me to be happy? Right, I guess I missed that in 'fucked up parents 101.'"  
  
"Samantha" Logan yelled, "stop it."  
  
Max closed her eyes and put a hand up, "No both of you stop, please."  
  
Sam looked at her mom, "Fuck you!"  
  
"Samantha Richelle if you continue to speak like that." Logan started in.  
  
Sam rolled her eyes, "What? What're you gonna do? Send me to my room? Whoopedy-fucking-doo!"  
  
"Samantha." Logan shouted.  
  
"BOTH OF YOU SHUT UP AND SIT DOWN!" Max screamed. Sam and Logan both stopped and stared at Max then did as directed, "Now listen up, Sam yeah I made a mistake by leaving and not even saying goodbye, but I'm back now and we can start over with a clean slate. Logan, calm down, she has a right to be mad, hell I'd be mad too but you have to." Max trailed off as the color drained from her face.  
  
Logan leaned forward, "Max? Max are you ok?" he asked standing up.  
  
Max looked from Sam to Logan terror in her eyes as she passed out and fell to the floor.  
  
  
  
  
  
A/N: you all know the drill, email or review and I shall publish/post more. It's so great how I have all the power in this whole deal.but then I am author so I do have that omnipotent/omnipresent thing going for me.MUAHAHAHAHA.  
  
Oh and I was very disappointed that NONE OF YOU REVIEWED AMANANDA'S (AWLUVVBUG'S) STORIES. (Email me and tell me if I'm wrong.) I'm telling you.all of you better run over there right now and read and review at least Shadow of the Past or you'll get no more from me! 


	7. Listen to the Music

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Disclaimer: Sadly negotiations are over for Dark Angel. I was so close when all a sudden Mike comes busting in proclaiming his love for me. Well as you can imagine Jess had a huge hissy fit, so they decided that if I got Michael they got to keep Dark Angel. I guess I can deal with that. =P

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A/N: Far's I know this should be the last of it sept for an epilogue if I get the reviews for it. Other than that I should be back with some other crazy fan fic some time later. So hope you enjoy the last chapter of the _Music_ series.

"Mom!" Sam cried out as her mother fell tot he floor.   
  
She was about to kneel by her side when she stopped...What was she doing? She didn't want her mother back. She was only going to leave again anyway. Sam stood unsure of what to do as her father fell to his knees and grabbed her mother. "Max!" he cried out holding her body to his chest, "Max, com back. Come on Max…" he continued pleading while gently slapping her cheek. As Logan continued his ministrations to her mother Sam tried to figure out her next course of action. Her heart told her to stay with her mom but her head told her to run. Suddenly strong wave of emotion swept over her causing her to wobble slightly." Sam rubbed her face with her hands trying to hold her composure. As she stared at her mother lying limp in her father's arms the feeling grew. 

Closing her eyes and taking a deep breath, Sam tried to cam herself. Turning up unsuccessful she opened her eyes and ran to her room, tears beginning to fall as she closed the door behind her. As she sat on the edge of her bed and her leg began to bounce.   
Sam took a deep breath as she steadied her leg only to have the other begin bouncing.   
Sam took another deep breath still trying to sort out what was going on inside of her. She didn't want to get hurt again, but she loved her mother no matter how hard she tried to fake the hate. Sam's body trembled as the sight of her mother falling to the ground played in her mind again and again.  
Sam curled up in a ball on her bed and began to sob. The last thing she had said to her mother was so spiteful, what if that was the last thing she ever...Sam shook her head not allowing herself to travel down that road of thought any further.  
Feeling she was gaining more control over her body Sam stood and began pacing around the room. What in the hell was going on? Sam stopped and looked at her hands. Her eyes widening panic as she watched them shake uncontrollably.  
"NO!" She screamed as she placed her hands in her pant pockets to stop the shaking, "I am in control!"  
She continued to pace as her mind continued to struggle with her heart. Did she wanted to go to her mother or didn't she? Sam let out a breath she had been holding and flopped down face first onto her bed as she broke out in tears once again.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Logan jumped to his feat as Max hit the ground. What was happening? He mind raced, did she need Tryptophin? He was about to run and get some he had kept for emergencies when he noticed that her body was not convulsing but just lying still. This only served to intensify the worry and fear he already felt he ran to her sinking to his knees and pulling her into his arms.   
  
He vaguely heard Sam call out for her mother as he cried out, "Max! Max come back, come on Max." He continued to plead for her to come to as he remembered the last time he had been in this position. God please don't let her die this time, he prayed as he began to lightly slap her cheek. "Please Max," he begged, "Please don't leave me! Please Max, I love you don't leave me." He laid his head on her stomach as he continued to plead for her. Tear began to cascade from his eyes and soak through her shirt as total helplessness swept over his body.  
He placed his left hand on her lower stomach and in his right hand he grasped her two smaller ones. He continued to cry, his love in his arms for who knows how long all the while praying that she would live.  
  
Suddenly he felt her stomach muscles contract beneath his head and he looked up at her face. Her eyes were still closed but her mouth was slightly opened, "Logan" she managed to whisper  
  
Logan's heart swelled as her heard her say his name. He sat up and cradled her head in his arms, "Max, I'm right here." He responded.  
  
"Logan..." she whispered again.  
  
"No, Max it's ok, I'm here, tell me what to do." He answered.  
  
Max's eyes fluttered open for a moment and then closed, "Logan...I need...bed." She stuttered.  
  
Logan placed his hand on her face, "Ok, hold on." He said as he lifted her small frame and carried her to his bed. His heart pounded uncontrollably as he tried to reason with what was going on. He was so scared. He had no clue what he was doing, he didn't even know if this was what she had meant.  
  
He entered his room and placed her on his bed watching her carefully hoping to understand more of what she was going through, "Max," he began, "What's happening, what can I do?"  
  
Max's eyes fluttered open again and stared at him, "Stay." She managed her eyes closing again.  
  
Logan complied and sat next to her wrapping her in his arms, "Ok Max, I'm here." He felt her sigh and pulled her closer to him. She leaned her head back against his chest and muttered, "Sleep."  
  
To this he had no reply accept to keep her in his arms to comfort whatever was going on in her body.

  
  
  
  
Sam stood in the middle of her room, her eyes still red from the tears she had shed and her heart more confused than ever. She had been in here for god knows how long fighting for the control of her own body while her mind and heart fought. No conclusions had yet been drawn but she had run out of tears to shed. Sam closed her eyes and took a deep breath as she walked to her door. She was worried out of her mind about her mother and no matter what her head told her heart she wanted to see that she was at least ok. Cautiously she walked out into the living room to see if her mother was still there. When she saw no one she wasn't sure if this was a good thing of not. She looked around but failed to find them, finally she was left with her father's room. She walked to the doorway and peaked in to find her father holding her mom in his arms. She watched them, her mother sleeping while her father stared at her.  
  
Sam cleared her throat to try and get her dads attention but she received no response.   
  
She walked into the room further and cleared her throat again, louder this time. Her father looked over at her and smiled. She forced a weak smile as her eyes looked at her mom in question. Her father shrugged his eyes mirroring the fear that showed in Sam's own eyes.  
She approached the bed and looked to the corner in question. In response her dad nodded and she sat down, "What happened?" she whispered.  
Her father sighed, "I don't know."  
  
"Is she, is she going to be ok?" Sam asked.  
  
Her dad took his arm from around her mom and motioned to Sam with it. Sam crawled to her father and he wrapped his arm around her shoulders, "I hope so Sam."  
  
Sam sighed and leaned back into her dad. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, "Dad, I'm so sorry."  
  
Logan looked at his daughter, "Sam, it's not your fault."  
  
Sam looked at her hands, "I know but it is. If I hadn't yelled at her or told her to leave me alone maybe it would've stopped this from happening."  
  
"Sam, this would've happened no matter what. You didn't cause any of this." He comforted.  
  
Sam sighed, "Dad, is she really here for good?"  
  
Logan smiled, "She told me she was, she said she was tired of running. Then she told me what you said."  
  
Sam tensed and then slumped forward, "I was mad, I didn't mean it. I just, I don't know. I don't want that to be the last thing I say to her though."  
  
"Sam, it's ok, she knows." He said placing a comforting hand on her back.  
  
She turned her head to look at her dad, "How? I was so mad, I was serious at the time. And it was only after that I realized that I didn't mean it."  
  
Logan rubbed her back, "She knows, Sam, honest she does. Mothers always know."  
  
Sam's shoulders shook as she began to cry, "But how? It's been four years, I've changed, and she's changed. I don't want her to think I hate her though, cause I don't."  
  
"I know you don't" he soothed pulling her back to him, "Sam don't worry, I'll be ok."  
  
Sam sighed as she quietly cried into her father's shoulder.  
  
  
  
  
  
Slowly Max opened her eyes. Her body tensed then relaxed when she realized where she was and whose arms were around her. She turned her head to see Logan staring down at her, "Hey." She said weakly.  
  
Logan smiled, "Hey, you ok?"  
  
Max shrugged, "Now, sorry about that back there, its just," she yawned, "I haven't slept for weeks and lately my body has been going crazy on me. I don't think Manticore thought we soldiers would make it much past 30 let alone 37."  
  
Logan nodded, "Guess you can't kick the worlds ass and not feel it in the morning now huh?"  
  
Max smiled, "Something like that."  
  
"You sure you're ok?" he asked.  
  
Max sighed, "Logan, I'm fine. I just need to stop stressing my body so much, relax."  
  
Logan sighed, "Ok Max, ok, but I still worry about you."  
  
Max rolled her eyes and snickered, "I'm the revved up one and your worried about me? Shouldn't it be the other way around?"  
  
Logan shrugged, "The day you stop your fascination with the bad guys is the day I stop worrying."  
  
Max smiled and snuggled closer to Logan, "Bad guys are too overrated, thinking I'm going to switch to handsome cyber journalists, although it has been a while since the last _eyes only_ hack. What happened there Logan?"  
  
"Life," Logan began, "suddenly it wasn't just me any more. I had a twelve-year-old girl to worry about too. God only knows what might've happened to her had I kept _eyes only_ going.  
  
Max cocked her head to the side, "But Logan, who's going to protect the weak and down trodden?" she teased.  
  
Logan rolled his eyes, "Blah blah woof woof right?"  
  
Max smiled, "Yeah."  
  
Logan smiled back and silence settled in the air as Max closed her eyes again. Still staring at her Logan heard a noise and looked up to see Sam standing in his room. He smiled at her to receive a small smile from her. Logan watched as her eyes fell on her mom in question and then back to him. He shrugged in response . Slowly She approached the bed and looked to the corner in question, Logan nodded and she sat down, "What happened?" she whispered.  
  
Logan sighed and felt Max tense beside him, "I don't know."  
  
"Is she, is she going to be ok?" Sam asked.  
  
Logan looked at Max and winked as he took one of his arms from around Max and motioned for Sam to come to him. Careful not to wake her mother Sam crawled to her father and he wrapped his arm around her shoulders, "I hope so Sam." He said as he felt max squeeze his hand.  
  
Sam sighed and leaned back into him, "Dad, I'm so sorry."  
  
Logan sat puzzled and looked at his daughter, "Sam, it's not your fault."  
  
She looked at her hands, "I know but it is. If I hadn't yelled at her or told her to leave me alone maybe it would've stopped this from happening."  
  
"Sam, this would've happened no matter what. You didn't cause any of this." He comforted as one of Max's hands covered her mouth.  
  
Sam sighed, completely unaware that her mother was awake, "Dad, is she really here for good?"  
  
Logan smiled as he squeezed Max's hand back, "She told me she was, she said she was tired of running. Then she told me what you said." He answered his voice flattening at the last part.  
  
Sam tensed and then slumped forward, "I was mad, I didn't mean it. I just, I don't know. I don't want that to be the last thing I say to her though."  
  
Logan looked at Max, tear were in her eyes her hand still covering her mouth, "Sam," he comforted, "it's ok, she knows." At that he placed a comforting hand on her back.  
  
Sam turned her head to look at him, "How? I was so mad, I was serious at the time. And it was only after that I realized that I didn't mean it."  
  
Logan began to rub her back as Max's grip on his hand tightened even more, "She knows, Sam, honest she does. Mothers always know."  
  
Sam's shoulders shook as she began to cry, "But how? It's been four years, I've changed, and she's changed. I don't want her to think I hate her though, cause I don't."  
  
Logan smiled at the scene before him "I know you don't" he soothed pulling her back to him, "Sam don't worry, it'll be ok."  
  
Logan looked at Max and motioned for her to say something as Sam quietly cried into his shoulder.  
  
Max stared up at Logan her eyes conveying that she didn't know what to say. Logan just raised his eyebrows further pressing her to say something. Finally Max sat up, "Sam," she whispered.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
At the sound of her mother's voice Sam froze. When she heard her name again she looked up to see her mother sitting up tears in her eyes. Sam sat unsure of wha to do. Had she heard everything she'd just said? Sam frowned and began to slide off the bed when her mom reached out for her arm, "No Sam please don't go."  
  
Sam looked at her mother's hand on her arm and then looked up at her face. She'd missed her mother so much, but she didn't have a clue what to say. "Sam, baby, I love you, and I promise, I'm home forever."  
  
Sam stared at her mother in disbelief, "How do I know for sure?"  
  
Max lowered her head, "Sam, you have to trust me and I know I'm not worthy of your trust for all the pain I've caused but I really am home for good."  
  
Sam sighed as she tried to process what she'd just been told. She looked to her father and then to her mother, "Forever?"  
  
Max nodded, "I'm done running, I just want to be a family."  
  
Sam stared at her mom for a moment longer before she pulled her arm away from her and stood, "I, I don't know what to think. I mean I want to believe you but I still doubt. I don't know what to do, god I don't even know what to think." Sam said, "Can I just have time to think about this? I mean, it's great your back and I do love you mom, but I just, I don't know. I need time."  
  
Max closed her eyes and nodded grabbing Logan's hand for support, "That's fine Sam, I'll be here when you want to talk. I'll always be here." She promised.  
  
Sam nodded and headed to her room her mind thinking of the dream she'd had just the night before. Suddenly she stopped. What was she doing? The woman she had dreamed of was right there waiting for her. Why was she running? Sam closed her eyes, she couldn't handle all of this. She wanted to just run into her mother's arms and never let go but she had built up walls around her heart so high that they kept her from returning to her fathers room. Sam opened her eyes and continued walking to her room. She had reached her door when she felt a hand resting on her arm. When she turned there stood her mother. "Sam, I love you." She said.  
  
Sam took a deep breath as her heart cried out for her to say it back. Sam opened her mouth but then closed it. "Mom..." she began, "I don't..." Sam's voice faltered as tears began to escape from her eyes. Sam closed her eyes and swallowed, she would remain calm.  
  
Sam opened her eyes when she felt her mother's hand on her cheek, "It's ok to cry Sam, don't hide what you're feeling."  
  
At those words Sam broke and threw herself into her mother's arms, "Mom, I'm so sorry. I am happy your back, please don't leave me again. I love you and missed you so much."  
  
Max held her daughter close as she herself began to cry, "Sam, I know, I know. I promise I'm not going anywhere."  
  
Sam pulled back and looked her mother in the eyes, "Thank You." She said as tears continued to fall.  
  
Max leaned her head against her daughters, "I love you baby."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Logan stood in his bedroom doorway watching the scene unfold between the two people he loved most in the world. His heart leapt as he watched the two embrace. He didn't know how but some how he knew that they would all be together as a family once and for all.

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A/N: ok so be honest, what did you really think? Was it worth it? Was it bad? What? Come one people I really heed to know if this was all just a huge waste of my time! Whatever it was for all of you that left me your email with your review you should be getting an email from me soon. I mean why would you have pasted it if you didn't' want some sort of response. So again thanks to all of you who've gotten this far. You all rock!

Also thanks to Amanda and Syd for all their help. You guys rock the most!


	8. Epilogue

A/N: so I was thinking the other day about how I never actually posted the epilogue to this little series here. So with the encouragement of me, myself, Amanda, Melissa, and I we decided to let everybody else read the epilogue too. So sorry to all that this took so damn long for me to post. It's completely my fault…if you want to email me katerpillar_03@hotmail.com and tell me how horrible I am and what not.  
  
Disclaimer: Since it's been a while since we've all been here let me refresh your memory, negotiations were going good, and I was oh so close to owning all, when in come Mike declaring his love for me and sweeping me off my feet so we could edited for content and the he censored……ok so anyways…..then Jess comes storming in bitch and moaning about the whole deal so since I got mike and all that came with him wags eyebrows I didn't get the show. And no I do not have a cloning machine….sorry.  
  
  
  
EPILOGUE  
  
  
  
Sam sighed as she sat on a dark red pew to the church. It had stained glass windows, the cross with Jesus hanging on it, the pulpit on the raised stage, the works. Placed on top of the works were the simple and beautiful decorations for the wedding that was to be held in a short time. In her hand Sam held a hanger with her dress on it, she was to be the maid of honor to her parents wedding. It had been a year now that her mother had been back and as once promised they were really going to be a family, once and for all. Sam sighed as she got up, she had waited for this day for so long it was hard for her to imagine that it was actually here. Looking around at the flowers, the candles, and the people comforted Sam just enough to convince her that this was real.  
  
Grabbing the silver shoes that were sitting beside her she walked to the bride's room. Her mother was locked away in there going crazy with her Cindy sticking flowers up in her hair ranting about how she always knew roller boy and her would hook up. Sam smiled when she opened the door and saw her mother standing with so many little flowers in her hair it was practically a second bouquet.  
  
"Sam, help me please." She begged as Cindy pulled her in the door reprimanding her with, "I know you did not just almost leave that door hanging wide open for mister mister to be peaking all up in here!"  
  
Sam rolled her eyes, "Don't worry about it Cindy, daddy's all the way across the church, and what on earth have you done to her head? She is not a garden!" Sam offered as she pulled some of the flowers out of her mother's hair.  
  
Max smiled and with much gratitude said, "That's what I told her but she kept saying the more the better. I disagree in this situation."  
  
Suddenly Cindy let out a shriek, "Samantha! You're not dressed yet? What are you doing standing there? go put that dress on right now fore I lay it down on your ass! Scoot girl scoot, we ain't got all day!"  
  
Sam sighed and looked at her mom, "Why is it that she's more excited and stressed than you?"  
  
Max shrugged and began to say something when Cindy began, "Oh no, this is not mother daughter bonding time. Sam go get that dress on right now!"  
  
Sam rolled her eyes and walked to the bathroom, "Ok, I'm going I'm going, calm down, not like we'e got a wedding to go to!"  
  
As Sam walked into the bathroom she heard Max laugh and Cindy start in again, "And you missy…"  
  
Good old Cindy, Sam thought. Quickly Sam changed into her gown. It was a simple sea foam green spaghetti strapped dress dashed with silver tinge. When she put it on she looked at herself in the mirror. The dress fit perfectly, her olive complexion contrasting nicely with the color. Smiling at herself in the mirror one last time she walked out of the small bathroom.  
  
"Ok Cindy," Sam began, "Lets get my hair done, we don't' got all day, come on got a wedding to be in here!"  
  
Cindy stared at Sam and walked over, she too had changed and was now in a dress similar to Sam's, "Girl, don't' mess with a woman giving her best friend away." Sam smiled and sat in the chair she was appointed too. There was a story all in it's own. Finding someone to give her mom away had been a tedious task and then when they had found the man they were looking for he almost refused the request. Finally though, after much purging and pestering, her uncle Zack had finally agreed.  
  
As Sam's hair was put up with bobby pins, curlers, and small flowers sparkled in it she thought back over all they had come through. It made her heart warm thinking that finally they would be that family. Sam sat for what seemed like ever with Cindy poking and prodding her head to get it to look just right. Finally she took her hands away and announced, "aiight little boo, you're done. Now hurry it up ceremonies bout to start."  
  
As she finished her comments a knock was heard at the door. All three women in the room froze and stared at the door. Slowly Sam got up and opened the door. Zack stood before her a bouquet of short stemmed white roses and baby's breath in hand, "Logan say's they're about to start so I guess I need Max." he said.  
  
Sam smiled and ushered him into the room, "Ok, you stay here I'll go latch on to my escort down the aisle. You're supposed to come out five minutes after you hear the music start." Sam informed, "and you," she motioned to Cindy, "You have to get up there with me."  
  
Cindy smiled and made her way out to the door, "Well ok, Max you got it covered? Ok good, then Ima go, see ya up there!"  
  
Sam sighed and pulled Cindy out of the room, "Ok come on lets get this over with."  
  
Cindy followed with a solemn look on her face, "Cindy calm down, you look like you just lost your best friend!"  
  
Cindy sighed and then straightened up, "Would you leave Original Cindy alone, this is a huge deal in her boo's life. Just let a girl be!"  
  
Sam smiled and hugged her mom's friend, "Wish me Luck." She said as she walked to her escort, one of Logan's cousins. He was tall dark hair dressed in a black tux with a forest green cumberbun.  
  
Sam surveyed the church as she began to walk down the aisle as the music began. It was a relatively small wedding considering all the family her father had. She smiled when her eyes landed on her father. He stood tall and proud in his black tux with a forest green cumberbun. He looked so handsome, he'd even gotten his hair cut and managed to shave too. He winked at her as they made eye contact. Sam reached the end of the aisle and went to her position winking back at her dad as the other brides maid's made there way in.  
  
Sam looked to the narthex of the church where her mother stood with Zack at her side. It was almost time. Sam smiled as the music began to play and the two made they're way down the aisle. Zack had on a tux that matched Logan's and Sam's escort and even a small smile seemed to be creeping onto his face. Her mother was a vision of loveliness. The plain and simple white gown she had on seemed to radiate with her in it. She never looked more beautiful with her hair pulled back and the veil covering her face.  
  
Once again Sam thought of what had gone on before that had gotten them here. It hadn't been perfect but she didn't think she would've traded it for anything. Looking from her father to her mother Sam smiled as she thought about the future. Maybe they wouldn't' live "happily every after" but sorta. And "sorta happily ever after" was good for her.  
  
  
  
  
  
A/N: so that's that…the end. FINISHED. Hope you all so thoroughly enjoyed this tell me if you did, and shoot even if you didn't constructive criticism is always welcome…especially through emails. HINT HINT. Ok enough with the pathetic begging stuff. I'm sure I'll be back with another crazy bipolar (thanks Syd) story sometime in the future. For all who read this, and especially to Amanda who was there for me the whole way through, I thank you sincerely.  
  
Hasta luego mi amigos de dark angela. (ok ,so maybe it's not perfect Spanish, so sue me.) 


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